IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


US 

ut  l&i   |22 

I  ld£    12.0 


IL25  III  1.4 


■  1.6 


Photogr^jhic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


V.  :s  4 


23  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

WiBSTH.N.Y.  USaO 

(716)  •72-4503 


^^' 

^ 


• 

CIHM/ICMH 

CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Collection  de 

Series. 

microfiches. 

: 

- 

V 


Canadian  Instituta  for  Hiatorical  Microreproductions  /  Inatitut  Canadian  da  microraproductiona  hiatoriquaa 


Taehnieal  and  BiMloflraphie  NotM/NotM  MchniquM  m  MMiographiqiiM 


Th«  Inttituta  hM  attamptad  to  obtain  ttw  baat 
original  copy  avaiiabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  wMch  may  ba  MMiograptiioaHy  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction.  or  which  may  aignifioantly  changa 
tha  uauai  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chaekad  balow. 


□   Colourad  ccNMra/ 
Couvartura  da  eoulaur 


rn  Covara  damagad/ 


D 


D 

n 


n 


0 


Couvartura  andommagAa 

Covara  raatqrad  and/or  laminatad/ 
Couvartura  raataurto  at/ou  paHicuMa 


pn   Covar  tMa  miaaing/ 


La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 


□   Colourad  mapa/ 
Cartaa  g4ographlquaa  an  eoulaur 


Colourad  ink  (i.a.  othar  than  blua  or  black)/ 
Encra  da  eoulaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  blaua  ou  noira) 


I — I   Colourad  plataa  and/or  illuatrationa/ 


Pfanehaa  at/ou  ilhiatrationa  an  eoulaur 


■ound  with  othar  matarial/ 
RalM  avac  d'autraa  doeumanta 


Tight  binding  may  eauaa  ahadowa  or  diatortion 

along  intarior  margin/ 

La  ro  liura  sarria  paut  eauaar  da  i'ombra  ou  da  la 

dwtoraton  la  tang  da  la  marga  intarfaufv 

Blank  iaavaa  added  during  raatoration  may 
appear  within  tha  text.  Whenever  poaaibie,  thaae 
have  been  omitted  from  fHming/ 
II  aa  paut  que  certeinee  pegea  blanehea  aioutiaa 
lore  d'una  reatauration  apparaiaaant  dene  le  texte. 
mala,  ieraqua  cola  4tait  poaaiMa,  caa  pagaa  n'ont 
paa  4ti  film4aa. 


Tha 

toti 


L'Inatitut  a  microfiim*  le  meiileur  exempiaira 
qu'il  lui  a  4tA  poaaibie  do  ae  procurer.  Lea  ditaila 
da  cat  axemplaira  qui  aont  peut*4tre  uniquea  du 
point  do  vue  bibliogrephique.  qui  peuvent  modifier 
una  image  raproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dana  la  mAthode  normale  do  filmege 
aont  indlquAa  d-deeaoua. 


rn  Coloured  pagaa/ 


Pagae  da  couleur 

Pagaa  damaged/ 
Pagaa  andommeg^ea 

Pagaa  reatored  and/oi 

Pagaa  reatauriea  at/ou  poMicuMea 

Pagae  diacotoured,  stained  or  foxe« 
Pagaa  dicolories.  tachettes  ou  piquias 

Pagae  detached/ 
Pagaa  ditachias 


r^   Pagaa  damaged/ 

pn  Pagaa  reatored  and/orlaminatad/ 

0   Pagae  diacotoured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pagaa 

rn   Pagae  detached/ 


The 
poa( 
oft 
film 


Orif 
bag 

tha 
aton 

Oth4 

firat 
aion 
or  11 


0Showthrough/ 
Tranaparence 


□   Quality  of  print  variea/ 
QuaNt*  inAgaia  da  i'impression 

0   Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  metiriel  suppl4mentaire 

□  Only  edition  available/ 
Seuto  Mition  diaponibia 

□   Pagaa  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissuaa.  etc..  have  been  refilmed  to 
enaure  the  beat  possible  imege/ 
Lee  pagaa  totalement  ou  partiallement 
obacurciaa  par  un  feuillet  d'arrata.  une  pelure. 
etc..  ont  *t*  film^ea  i  nouveau  da  fa^on  i 
obtanir  la  meilleure  imege  possible. 


The 
ahal 
TINI 
whl( 

Mai 

difffi 
entii 
bagi 
righi 
requ 
met 


Additional  commanta:/ 
Commentairae  suppi4mentairea: 


WrInklMl 


may  film  slightly  out  of  focus. 


Thia  Item  ia  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Co  document  eat  film*  au  taux  da  rMuction  indiqu4  ci*daaaoua. 


10X 

14X 

1IX 

Z2X 

2SX 

aox 

y 

\ 

12X 


18X 


20X 


a4x 


28X 


32X 


Th«  eopy  fUniMl  her*  hM  h—n  rtproduo«d  thanks 
to  tiM  gwMroslty  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


L'axamplaira  f  UmA  f  ut  raproduit  grica  i  la 
g4niroslti  da: 

BIbllotMqua  nationala  du  Canada 


ITm  imagaa  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
poasibia  conaidaring  tha  condition  and  laglbllity 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  icaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  tpacif ications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  iiluatratad  impres- 
sion, or  the  l»eck  cover  when  appropriate.  Ail 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illuetrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  e  printed 
or  iilustreted  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ►  (meening  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  ▼  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  eppiies. 


Lee  images  suhrentes  ont  *t*  reproduites  evec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattetA  de  I'exempleire  f ilm4,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Lea  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimte  sent  fiimis  en  commen^ent 
pir  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminent  soit  per  le 
derniire  pege  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
dimpresston  ou  d'iilustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sent  f  ilmis  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premMre  pege  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iilustration  et  en  terminent  par 
la  dernMre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboies  suhrants  apperaltra  sur  la 
demMre  image  de  cheque  mteroflche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — »•  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  ▼  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Thoss  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  expoeure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hend  corner,  left  to 
right  end  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diegrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planchss,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmto  A  dss  taux  de  riduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seui  clichA,  il  est  f ilmA  A  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  has,  en  prenent  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1  2  3 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

I 


^lll». 


i 


A    B  It   I  S  V 


f7Z1fl^ 


E  5C  A  M  I  N  A  T  I  O  N 

OP  LORD   SHEFFIELD*! 

OBSERVATIONS 


OK     T  H  Jl 


C    O    M    M    £    a    c 


«fe 


■■•*■. 


Oy  THB 


TJNXTSD     STATE*; 


ZM  SEVEN  NUMBER  $4 


WITH  two     SUPPtEMEMTARY    HOTB«   ^^    ^ 
AMBKXCAN     MANU/^GTURES. 


4.,      ^^' 


*         «f 


# 


PHILADELPHlAt 
FROM  THE  PRESS   OF  M.  CAREY^ 

|f«X>GC.XC|^ 


> 


}  ■   *■ 


No.  XXVI. 

pijfriff  of  Pttmjj/Poania,  to  wit* 

'       '  ■  ■  '". 

BE  It  remembered,  that,  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  Novembar 
in  the  fixteenth  year  of  the  independence  of  the  unitei  ftatet 
of  America,  MATHEW  CAREY,  of  the  faid  diftria,  hsth  de- 
pofited  in  thi»  office,  the  title  of  a  book,  the  right  whereof  he 
claims  at  proprietor,  in  the  words  following,  to  wit  t 

**  A  brief  examination  of  lord  Sheffield's  obfervatbns  on  the 
«(  commerce  of  the  united  ftates.  In  feven  numbers.  With  two 
■<  fuppkmentary  notes  on  American  manufaaures."  In  confop. 
Boity  to  the  a£t  Af  ♦»»•  eengref*  of  die  united  ftates,  entitled, 
*•  An  aft  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  fecuring  the  co- 
pies of  maps^  charts  and  books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of 
#  fuch  copies,  during  the  times  tlierein  mentioned." 

SAMUEL  CALDWELL, 
Clerk  of  tit  d{/lria  court  of  Pionjflvamdt 


■#. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

THIS  examination  was  commenced  in  the  American 
Mufeum  for  March,  1791,  and  continued  in  the 
months  following,  as  circumftances  permitted,  till  July 
lafl;.  Further  rmexion  and  opportunity  have  produced 
additional  fafls  and  fome  relative  confiderations,  which 
are  intermixed  with  the  original  materials  of  the  fix 
numbers  already  publiihed,  or  arc  contained  in  afeventh 
number,  and  the  two  additional  notes  on  manufa£lures, 
at  the  end  of  the  pamphlet. 

It  is  poflible.  that  a  queftion  may  have  arifen,  why  an 
examination  of  a  work,  firftpubliflied  in  1713,  fhouldhave 
been  inftituted  in  1791  ?  The  obfervations  of  lord  Shef- 
field have  gone  through  fix  enlarged  editions,  and  the 
fame  writer  having  dmeminated  ideas,  very  unfavourable 
to  the  united  ftates,  in  his  book  upon  the  commerce  of 
Ireland,  it  was  conceived  that  a  developement  of  his  er- 
rors was  due  no  lefs  to  thofe  who  are  mifinformcd  in 
Great  Britain,  than  to  thole  ipterefts  which  are  not  un. 
derftood  in  this  country.  It  has  been  frequently  obferved, 
that  when  American  affairs  are  difcuffed  in  Europe,  lord 
Sheffield's  work  is  quoted  with  fymptoms  of  convidioir 
and  belief.  Under  circumftances  like  thefe,  an  examina- 
tion of  lus  allegations,  predidlions,  and  remarks,  even  at: 
this  day,  wiU  not,  it  is  noped,  appear  unfeafonable. 


.U      «''l 

..?#^ 


«* 


w 


TABLE    O  F    C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S. 


Of  number  /. 

'TP^E  carrying  trade,         -        -  -  % 

JL     Beef  and  pork,  "  :  -  4 

Teas,  -  -  •        -  •  ibid. 

Salt  from  Europe,  -  •  r  6 

Shoes,  *-•■.•  y 

Paper,  •  •  -  •  .9 

Rum,  -  -  -  •  '9 

The  idea»  that  the  united  ftates  are  a  country  fui' ge- 
neris, -  -  -  •        •  II 

»■ 

€f  number  II, 


Lumber,  -  -  •  • 

Nova  Scotia  and  Canada,  •  • 

Linfeed  oil,  .  «  •  ^ 

Painters*  colours,  -  .  , 

Coaches  and  other  carriages,  • 

Medicines  and  drugs,         .... 
Nails,  fpikev;!  *^*^  other  oianufadures  of  iron  and 

fteel,         ^  m  -  .  ,  25 

Flour  and  wheat,  -  •  -27 

Gunpowder,  -  •>  -  2t 

The  ability  of  Great  Britain  to  make  her  fhips  the 

carriers  for  the  united  ^3tes,        .  .  29 


15 

20 

22 

ilnd. 
24 


*>(fi 


t,   »l 


t  5 


t  «  3 

Of  number  III, 

Hats,  .  -     ,        •  0  35 

Books,  •  -  •  •        37 

That  the  Americans  will  in  future  give  a  preference 
to  Britifh  manufndures,  before  aU  others — that  it 
will  be  a  long  time  before  the  Americans  hmU 
manufa^ure  tor  themfelves — and  that  our  de« 
mind  for  BritiHi  goods  will  ingreafein  prc^ortion 
to  our  population,  "  "  "  39 

That  it  would  he  impoliric  in  Great  Britain  to  ad- 
inic  Amencmi  veUels  into  her  Weft  India  illands,     43 

Tlut  it  would  be  better  for  Britain  to  give  up  tho 
liaiuh,  than  tiie  carrying  trade,  -  46 

That  the  fhiiping  Great  Britain  gains  by  excluding  ' 
the  Americans,  will  be  at  hand,  .  4;;' 

That  America  will  never  be  united  again^  4^ 

Of  number  ly. 

Naval  (lores,  -  .  -  '         ,  ^i 

Pot  and  pearl  aflies,  **  •  "  5* 

Horfes,  -  -  •  •        "  -  c-j 

That  France  will  not  fuffer  America  to  fupply  her 

with  fliips,  .  ,  •  w  <* 

That  the  navigation  a^  gave,  and  that  an  adherence 
to  it  wilf  fecure  to  Great  Britain  the  commerce 
of  the  world,  .  .  .  e($ 

That  it  muft  always  be  the  fituatio^  of  the  united 

dates  to  court  Great  Britain^  -  •  60 

That  it  will  not  be  the  intereft  of  any  of  the  great 
maritime  powers  to  prote(ft  American  veflelsfrora 
the  Barbary  corfairs,  *  -  •  6t 

That  the  Britifh  iflands  would  be  crowded  with 
Dutch,  French,  and  other  foreign  vcflels,  if 
they  were  to  be  laid  open,  -  •  64 

Of  number  V, 

Population  of  the  united  ftates,        .  ••  ^^ 


M.; 


#  » 


t  ▼«  J 

Emigration  y  -  •  •70 

Kentucky  and  the  wcftcrn  territory,  -  7 ^ 

Thac  no  American    articles  are    To  neceflfary  to^ 
Great  Britain  as  the  Britifh  manufadhiret,  6c, 
are  to  the  Americans,        '  '  -  73 

The  quality  of  American  diftilled  fplrits,  .         74 

If  the  American  Hates  (hbuld  attempt  to  pay  their 
debts,  the  lands  of  the  farmers  muil  for  fome  time 
lie  under  very  heavy  impofitiont,  .  .  ^j 

That  the  Americans  could  not  have  traded  with 
the  French  before  the  revolution  to  half  the  ex* 
tei\t  they  did,  had  it  not  been  for  the  fpecie 
th^y  took  from  the  Britifh  iflands,        .  -      76 

TMt  the  united  dates  loft  much  by  tlie  reparation 
from  Great  Britain,  ^  «  ^^ 

Of  number  VI, 

Ships  built  for  ordinary  commerce,  and  for  fale,  ^i 
That  the  imports  and  exports  of  the  united  ftates, 

will  continue  for  a  long  time  the  fame,  84 

The  capacity  of  the  united  ftates  to  fupply  "Em* 

rope  with  grain  and  flour,  •  •  96 

Of  number  yil,  " 

Additional ;  containing  a  table  of  the  principal  re- 
ilri£tions,  impofitions^and  prohibitions fuftained  by 
the  united  ftates  in  their  trade  with  the  Britifh  do- 
minions ;  and  of  thofe  fuftained  by  Great  Britain 
in  her  trade  with  the  dominions  of  the  united 
ftates ;  alfo  fome  remarks  on  certain  prevalent 
topics  relative  to  the  general  bufmefs  and  inter- 
courfe  between  tlie  two  countries.  « 


Notes, 


99 


On  the  progrefs  and  prefent  ftate  of  American  do- 

meftic  or  houfehold nianufadurcs,  .  j,» 

On  American  manufadures  iu*general,  •        121 


H 


vi^- 


/• 


p 


^ 


%>* 


A  iHitt  UM^t^ATtov/am 


THE  fadstftd  bbili^atiom  cffftb writer  hkvt,  In  tin 
opinion  of  maij^  of  hit  coantnrmen,  fo  funtHy  emlii* 
red  die  loucUlone  of  esqperiencei  n»t  an  attempt  to  do* 
monflrate  erron  in  both,  may  appear  to  defeTvc  little  at* 
iention.  The  breirity^  however,  which  is  intended  tobft 
obferved,  may  Induce  the  parties  concerned,  to  givft 
tbefe  papers  an  attentive  penoal. 

It  is  remarked,  in  the  laft  edition  df  the  pd>fication 
referred  to,  "  that  ^a  knowledge  and  conlideration  of  th« 
Ameiican  trade  fliould  didate  to  Great  Briuin  the  mtaf^ei 
Ibe  ought  to  purfue.^'  The  good  fenfeofthatoblenrition^ 
In  relation  to  the  time  when  it  was  written,  is  admitted^ 
without  hefitation,  and  it  is  conlidered  as  equally  proper, 
in  regard  to  th^  prtft||«  It  is  believed,  indeed,  to  com* 
port  moft  perfectly  wim  th^  dignity  and  true  interefts  of 
nations,  not  to  induce  into  injurious  grants  thofe  foreign 
powers,  with  whooo  they  may  find  occaiion  to  treat*  No 
obfervatiohs  need  be  offered,  to  fhow  the  refpeiSbbilityj, 
which  is  acquired  by  negociations  conduAed  with  a  libe* 
ral  and  magnanimous  policy.  It  will  be  fofBdent  to  re* 
Biark,  that  arrangemftits,  fofidly  foaodcd  in  fht  mutttal 

B' 


^1' 


.♦ 


'     t   «  1 


■■«#', 


irttertfts  of  the  ctfritfafting  parties,  will  always  be  fatis» 
fadlory  to  the  intelligent  part  of  their  refpedive  citizens^ 
and  confequently  mod  permanent;  but  that  injudicious 
grants  of  unreakNiable  advantages,  ^fpecialiy  if  obtained 
by  deceptive  means,  di/honour  the  character  of  the  over* 
reaching  party — lead  to  murmurs  among  the  people  of 
the  ntiilaicen  nationy  often  t^expenflve  and  bloody  wars—* 
and  give  immenfe  hazard  to  the  commercial  enterprizes, 
which  are  ufually  inftituted  in  confequence  of  new  trea- 
ties. It  may  be  contkleiied,  therefore,  as  wifdom  in  nego* 
ciating  nations/  diligently  to  fearch  for  their  common  iff' 
terefiSf  as  the  Bitelt  ground  of  treaty.  In  order  to  difx 
cover  thefe  with  eafe,  and  to  view  them  with  juft  impref- 
fions,  it  is  a  meafure  n€»t  only  of  primary  importance, 
but  of  indifpenfible  neceflity,  to  remove  eftablifbed  errors 
in  the  public  cfecrd.  It  b  not  by  way  of  apology,  that 
Shefc  prefatory  remarks  are  offered  to  ail  concerned,  but 
io  fliow,  that  a  rational  purAiit  of  the  interefts  of  their 
refpedtive  countries,  Ihould  lead  both  Americans  and 
£ngli{hmen,  to  develope  the  errors,  in  regard  to  fadts 
and  (pinions,  difcoverable  in  a  publication,  which  ap> 
pears  to  have  been  the  caufe  of  a  change  of  meafures  in 
the  Britifh  nation,  or  to  have  been  intended  to  vindicate 
one  which  it  was  predetermined  to  make. 

It  is  not  propofed  to  go  into  a  full  and  regular  reply  t« 
the  writer  of  the  obfervations,  but  rather  to  point  out  fo 
many  real  and  efiential  errors  in  his  fa£h  and  predidtions, 
as  may  fhakethe  unlimited  confidence,  which  has  been  re* 
pofed  in  him  by  his  countrymen,  in  order  to  lead  to  a  dif- 
ferent legiflative  department  towards  us.  Little  regard 
will  be  paid  to  order,  vt  this  curfory  enamlnation ;  but 
any  important  objed,  which  prefentsitfelf,  will  be  brief* 
ly  noticed. 

]       THE    CARRYING    TRADE,        ' 

in  the  opinion  of  lord  ShefEeld,  is  loft  to  the  people  in- 
habiting thele  ftates,  by  their  choice  of  independence. 
Let  us  exantine  the  proofs.  His  feventh  table  ftates  the 


(/■•*■; 


■.»*. 


i  be  fatisv 
;  citizens^ 
ijudiciout 
obtained 
the  over- 
people  of 
ly  wars— 
terprizes, 
lew  trea- 
in  nego« 
itnmon  itt' 
er  to  diff 
ft  impref- 
portance, 
ed  errors 
ogy,  that 
rned,  but 
s  of  their 
cans  ahd 
i  to  fadts 
^hich  ap> 
afures  in 
vindicate 

r  reply  t* 
int  out  fo 
edidlions, 
been  re- 
to  a  djf. 
e  regard 
ion;  but 
be  brief* 


J 


E. 

sople  in- 
:ndence. 
Atcs  the 


t  i  'i  '■ 

lawwrcf  tonnage  of  all  the  Britifli  provinces  in  North*^, 
America,  in  1770,  to  have  been  365,100  tons.  Fromiliit 
amount  are  to  be  deducted  the  entries  in  Newfoundland^ 
Canada,  Nova*Scotia,  the  two  Floridas,  the  Bahamas, 
and  Bermuda,  being  33>45<8  tons,  which  leaves  the  en. 
tries  in  thofe  provinces  that  are  now  the  united  dates,  at 
1319641  tons.  We  are  alio  to  dedu&  the  Ihips  ow  ned  by 
Britiih  fubje^ts,  not  refident  in  thofe  thirteen  provinces. 
Champion  conliders  thele  to  have  been  nearly  the  whole  in 
the  European  trade,  it  is  believed  erroneoufly  ;  but  they 
mud;  have  been  very  confiderable ;  yet  the  return  of 
entries  of  American  vellels  for  the  lalt  year,  rendered  by 
our  treafury  to  thehoufe  of  reprefentatives,  though  known 
to  have  been  incomplete,  from  inevitable  caules,  amounts 
to  above  36^,000  tons,  exdufive  of  fl/hing  vellels*. 

It  is  manifelt,  then,  that  the  carrying  trade,  which  re- 
iults  almolt  unaided  from  an  agriculture  that  fully  la(^ 
^50,000  tons  of  veflels  to  foreign  ports,  13  conliticrabjy 
greater  than  what  we  enjoyed  as  Britilh  provinces.  A 
very  beneficial  coailing  trade  (employing  above  ioo,oco 
):ons}  has  moreover  grown  up,  partly  from  the  va- 
rie^r  x>f  our  produdions  and  mutual  wants,  and  partly 
from  .the  introdudlion  of  manufa^ures,  v^hich  it  was  be-  -< 
lieve^l  we  could  never  atitain,  and  with  which  Great- 
Britain  alone  ufed  to  fupply  us.  Ihe  building  of  fliips  has 
alfo  increafed,  as  we  undertake  hereafter  to  Ihow,  and 
the  tonnage  owned  by  the  merchants  of  the  united  ft^fis, 
or  late  American  provinces,  was  never  lo  great  as  at  the 
prefent  moment.  It  is  believed,  moreover,  that  the  Ame- 
rican carriers  derive  greater  profit  from  the  bufmefs,  than 
tiie  Britilh  nation,  who  build  ihips  two-thirds  dearer,  and 
who  maintain  themfelves  in  what  they  poifefs  of  the  car? 
fying  trade,  at  theexpenfe  of  great  bp^^)ties  out  of  their 
public  treai'ury,  by  burdenfonie  reilridions  on  all  theij: 
dominions,  but  theifland  of  Great-Britain;  andbyregu- 


*  Our  Humerpus  cva&tn  not  being  entered,  but  only  renewing 
tb  ir  licences  in  that  trade,  once  a  year,  tot  in  no  part  ot  thf 
;}6  3,000  tonsc  ^ 


^ 


t   4  S 

ti«S«ls  to  fkiMSar  Mr  ftapfing,  wbkh  inepnifli  9k  Ji4t$ 

t  $  JB  F  Aw^  P  0  R  P; 

fin  the  opinion  of  our  amhor,  are  not  likelf  t0  bttono 
cahnderable  articles  of  dii»ii^,  fo  as  fo  interfere  ^\%n 
ilivland  ftr io<tte  tifne^  The  niediiiili  amtoal  i|oanti^  tHi^ 
lilted  firom  the  uriitnji  ilaties,  before  i3xt  feroloriooi  he 
^tes  St  93,635  barrels.  Our  treafilrjr  mum,  for  thela^ 
3^ar,  eidMoits  o6>ooo  barrels,  beGdes  1,500  barrels  ef  ba« 
ton,  5,200  head  of  honied  cattle,  and  an  equal  nombe|f 
^  hogs.  The  meditim  pkjc:e  oftbe  porit  was  thirtyrfevett 
ihiUinn  fterlingi,  or  Jil^  8|  dollars  per  ba|t6l,  ind  that 
Jf  be<?  tweo^-^ht 'ihiilingi  SMing^  or  about  ^  dol- 
"tti  per  barrel  BBides  this  exportation,  363^060  tOds  oF 
fbi'ei^  vefl^ls,  in  a  gjreat  degj^e,  tftd  all  oiiT  own,  we|# 
fiOtiwed  from  oiv  nuiteta.  But  9  monieiit's  refies^Oil 
ivill  convince  any  maii  who  knowi  thn  teqntty,  that  i^ 
11HI],  in  the  courfb  of  f  few  yean,  vSkt  to  all'  fereigpi 
l^ioos  fpch  quantities  of  laltpTpvifions,  el|iecial}y  of  be% 
p  muft  ferioofly  afleft  Irelaijd,  where  thyt  article  is  ftdj 
it  t\f^  dplfajfs  per  Wre}.  i;  |$  a  USt  tiO  left  curiou^ 
^n  ii^portant  to  01^  provilioa  trade,  that  the  Frencn 
MO^  has  been  fupplled  wiph  beef  hi  tlie  igonnS  BoAoo,  at 
pHto  lower  than  the  ^en  current  value  of  wheat-floor  it 
pny  of  our  feaports,  although  our  exports  of  the  latter  arti4 
jHe  are  fourteen  times  aigreat  as  thofe  of  Ireland.  Thi 
owners  of  the  interior  lancS  of  the  imited  f|ates,  on  which 
Settlements  have  but  lately  become  confidetabte,  linda 
i^rticular  advanuge  in  the  raifing  of  cattle,  kJecaufe  thofb 
inimals  tranijport  uemfdves  to  tl^  ^portsat  a  v^  ^^ 
CXpenft*  '   '  ' 

T    P    A    §r 

It  is  knpwntoperfons  acouainted  with  American  coniy 
Hfefce,  that  teas  of  various  kinds  form  a  ym  fonfidgjit; 


r 


1 1  f  , 

Me  miaRko  ofmr  hRpor^tiout.  Theridl  sM  tl^e  ^oor 
101110  them  Ireel jr.  Tneoi  value,  as  they  were  encereii 
fn  our  coftonrhoiiri^  for  the  year  preceding'  the  firil  «f 
O&chetj,  179O9  was  2,714,000  dollars,  which  is  about  9 
leventh  of  oipr  imports.  Oo  this  .very  amkal  article  ii 
jcommeree  and  copfomption^  lord  Siidl|c!d  hazards  the 
ioQowiog  opifliona^ 

**  'Wm  as  the  S^ikUOi  Bafblndit  company  90  aflbr4 
ito  feB  this  ie9>  on  twi  as  good,  if  npt  better,  terms^ 
-^n  the  Bqtcb)  or  any  other  nation  an  Europe,  ther§ 
$f  m  dai^et  ^  iMt^  the  American  market,^ 

**  llist  the  allowin|;  of  diedrawbac)t  opon  teaseiqportf 

'#d  ftom  Gf«ajE4lr}Cain,  will  genendly  enable  the  £ngU^ 

•g^tmmmd  tln^  tea  trade  *9Mttirka,** 

I    ^  loniihip  bad  forgotten  that  G^iitbn  is  an  open  msf' 

Ist,  «|pifr  ^^cMk  to  all  nations.  T»  American  m^ 

ilave  aBCcoedii^  gone  thhher,  not  01^  in  the  ord1nl|ir 

fi»^oni,  bot  in  thofe,  vikich  tfaaJfy  re/ffam  Smfem  ex, 

^pdUians^  Tbr  untied  ftates  produce  the  g^t  article  of 

^mnref^M}9fm^mo^'e%^  which  i^ei^  this  tra^ie  pev 

^iwariy  eoikveoi^iit  to  diem.  The  leas.  Imported  by  our 

merchants  dire£Uy  from  Qiina,  .in  tl^  laft  year,  were 

ppi  mUkms  fix  haidred  md  onethoufM  ehht  hndted  Ofuf 

J^'tm  potfim,  which  is^oH^  e()i»1  to  our  confomptiolk 

%>uld  we  obt^  oel^i  and  thei^oifiteijii^nti^ofl^^ 

-jBwgdo  ^^rs,  of  which  eor  peope  are  univerf«%  and 

paffionaii^ ItHid.  T^Rre.woc  impiHIwdafiR)  from  T 

\^i^ft  miida  pf  teas,  IhiDC  from  iiMen  port 

4^M  Britfif,  lo  dit  m!;treme  diradvantage  of  the  ib^pcrt> 

im^  to  tmftreat  'pijiatf  of  our  merichants.  But  the  valuei 

itf  commcM^tSet  hi  #][|y  f^q  mafkets  are  tfie  bell  ilhtftratioi| 

of  thtjelatioiiof  (hofe  it^ets  to  each  other.  TheartidO 

^  tea  wiUt  tbere^«e  bf  p;iSBtd,  over,  vtmr  the  ft^lowing 

ftafiementofthe  euniftrpr^  ^  >ii?vrn  ifay  ip,  AtiienM 


i.l 


i*/.  ih 


..A 


/'     ■•*>*■'«■> 


1 


■  »'«»-^     ^■._ 


c  «  % 


1^  PhiHidelphb,  on  the  5th^ 
'  day  of  Novemberi  179O1 
atirr  paying  the  duty  in- 
ward. 

Sterling. 
?<***»       1/3 1  v  30  cents, 
Souchong,  3/4  f  or  y^  cents, 
liyfon,      4)5  orioocentSy 


In  London,  on  die  j;th  dm 

of  November,  1790,  aU, 

ter  dedu^ng  tlie  drawi 

backsofiil.  ios.p.C6iit* 

Sterling. 

Bohea,      1/5 1  or  32  centt. 

Souchong,  Vo  or  100  cents. 

Hyfori,      6/ori33tj»ent8. 


1  he  fainecircumi^nces,  which  facilitate  and  inlure  thl| 
fttainment  of  the  requidte  quantity  of  teas,  ipt  only  by 
means  other  than  Britiih,  but  indeod  byArniricat  means, 
certify  to  us  the  acquilition  of  the  neceifary  fupplies  of 
porcelain,  nankeens,  iilks,  and  all  other  China  commodU 
ties :  and  upon  the  whole,  we  dare  venture  to  appeal  tQ 
ihe  books  of  the  infpe^or  general  of  the  BritMn  com* . 
pierce,  when  we  a^rrn  thaf  Grea^Britain  does  not  lup» 
{^  us  with  a  f<M*tieth  ihillioffqf  the  various  kinds  of  Cmn« 
fiiMi^l^ndife,  confunied  in  America^  jho|igh  they  proba* 
|^l4)|little  ihort  (^a  iixth  of  our  impomtions. 

:$AlfT   FEOM   EUR  OPE. 

T^b  airticle,  ftif  writer  of  the  obierKfitipni Tayf,  will 
|mi  taken  indifcria)ina.te]ly  from  Europe ;  tbireby  oiitiead- 
)ng  the  gQvei;*nmentandpeopl;e  gt' £ngl'i'^<^  *^l^  9  bishef, 
fhat  they  m]\  have  a  chance  pf  fupptyipg  a  confiderabl^ 
pr9|}^ion.  The  quantity  imported  into  tbe  united  (tateSj, 
^^miirarious  countries,  in  the  laffc  yegr/ was  2,3  97,920 
b^iQiet;  beiides  which  it  was  manufa^red  in  interim, 
pr  tityatipns.  The  price  of  fait  iu  Kentucky^  where  it  is 
hptuje.  made,  is  afjout  one-third  of  tli6  otark^t  race  at  Pittf* 
|>ui^,  where  for^ijjn  (alt  is  ufcd.      .  >  V^^^  ^,   ^^ 

/jn^  Qriju/h  fait  is.  wh^t  is  called  ji?ic«iti  Ikpnkii,  from 
^fr%^l.fize  Qf  the  cryljfaJs.  Of  this  i^nd  the  price  is 
greater  tHan  thai  of  the  coiirfe,  ahd  not  a  twentif  t^  bu(Iiel 
was  imported  before  the  prefect  yeai*,*)!;  Being  little ufed 
but  at  tile  table,  and  inconvenient  to  tranfport  to  the  in- 
terior country ;  but  the  new  duty,  near  the  eighth  of  a 
Nj^cao  dollar^  will  gender  its  importation  very  unpro«> 


t}1 


iflSble  !n  future.  A  buihel  df  rockior  allum  tiHi^  a(l  ItJi 
termed,  from  the  fizeof  thecryftals,  vt^ill  co  as  far  in  ufe^ 
as  a  bufhel  and  an  half,  or  two  bufhels  of  the  fiiier  kind  t 
and  the  duty  is  equal.  The  price,  as  before  obferved,  it 
lefs.  Befides,  our  grain  and  lumber  (hips  to  Portugal,  our 
tobacco  fliips  to  France,  our  com,  flour  and  lumber  (hips 
to  Spain,  our  veffels  to  the  Cape-de-Verd  and  Weft-In- 
dia ulands,  are  accommodated  by  ball.afts  of  fait,  whkll 
18  cheap  and  abundant  in  thofe  places,  it  never  fails  t% 
yield  fome  profit  to  tin;  owner  of  the  (hip,  (though  it 
^ill  veiy  feldoin  pay  a  freight)  and  it  b  exceedingly  be- 
neficial to  the  timbers  of  a  veflfel.  The  liberation  ot  this 
article  in  France  will  occafion  it  to  be  better  made  there 
in  future,  and  theFimch  will  confequently  fupply  us  with 
larger  parcels  than  heretofore,  'the  approximation  of  our 
ietuements  to  the  fait  fprings,  and  the  increafe  of  white 
ptmulation  on  the  fouthem  fea  coafts,  will  occafion  great 
additions  to  the  quantity  made  at  homp.  Should  any  im- 
pediment be  thrown  in  the  way  of  the  reception  oiFour 
lumber  and  other  coarie  articles,  and  of  our  vefl^ls  in 
Great-Britain,  the  importation  of  fait,  and  indeed  of  mofi 
other  coarfe  Britifh  articles,  will  be  .exceedingly  diminifh- 
ed,  as  they  ar«s  brought  now  to  ballaft  our  recuni 
vefTels.  It  appears,  m  e^mining  better  documents  than 
were  procurable  at  the  firft  publication  of  this  paper,  that 
our  Bntifh  lumber  trade  had  induced  a  greater  retura  in 
fait,  than  was  at  that  thne  fuppofed ;  and  as  troth'  h  the 
fole  object  of  this  examinatiot>|  the  error  is  made  known 
Y^itbout  hefiiation. 

S    HO    E    S, 

Our  writer  fays,  were,  and  muft  continue  to  be  hn* 
ported  in  coniiderable  quantities,  and  principally  from 
Britain.  'Tis  probable  thacnot  lels  than  eight  millions, of 
pairs  of  (hoes,  boots,  half.boots,  guetres,  ili^wrs,  clogs, 
and  gololhoes,  are  annually  conlunied  in  or  exported 
froin  the  united  (tates.  Our  population  proves  to  be  near 
S^QOofiQOi  and  if  eaeh  peribn  ^vears  a  quantity  ofjlie 


1 9  i 

,dime  dutni^ift^  watt,  emmmkHi  tt  iwb  ttjh  ef  Aoil 
pee  aniMMD.  the  auinber  wiu  be  made  up.  If  the  laediuni 
1raliiebe€idceaet75oriiibor3/4|  Bm&gptruar^  thil 
valittbk  tfiicle  wiH  amoant  t6  fix  millions  oTdoUan.  Of 


this  prod^^o«8<piMMcy,  tely  7o^5ojpairtaf  ilhoes^  booc^ 
Ihr.  wcitt  imported  into  chli  united  i&ta  in  thebft  year* 
Tanned letthef,  weigjbuu^  ti^poonds^  wasc]qinrte4 
^vkhin  dis  iame  iiai«?,  an#|^0o  pamof  boou  and  Ak^m* 
Of  mmmft^ired  L .  JbI|  ^  a^ef  were  QuffiedalM'ead* 
Leather  and  ftoei  wtn  ient  an  fonie  idyea  feeni  th« 
WfAero  iBDuaiiy.  The  leadier  hnncfa  it  ^^emd  'm 
EnglMd^audittteooal  toniie.tifdii)f  th^ih^eAianuTac^ 
iMpes.  Que  dwewnkffs'  wares  alone  atpear  to  ie  mere  i» 
taine  Aan  one  finirth  t£  our  esperu :  end  a»  New..£Dgii 
kadis^urgreateft  £attie  counayf  and  themall  advaneel 
JB.handicBatMBawufiiftyws,  k  is  plain  that  ininhabiianii. 
waA  be  in  a  ceiifiderahie  dcjM  iodenmiM  liar  the  ^ 
hSta  of  chofe  rogttlatiens  li^uah  operate  e  diDunutSoik 
ef  their  ^fteries.  The  ceor&r  oik,  k  4»^  he  aUb  «(»» 
Icrved,  are  demanded  la  iarge  mmciti^  hf  the  lea* 
fher  4refe^  whofe  ra«mfiaoas  or  them  wulincrealh 
with  oiir  popidiCiony  ind  fi^pooi  of  il|p;ieiBinaBitifiw^ 


t#  F  1  ft. 

tliit  ertide,  k  it  aBiged  by  our  aothec,  wlll^ontiaiit 
Id  be  ient  in  eonfidorBbK  quantitiet  fiwni  Ho^gjand;  and 
tiiat  although  fomecoarfe  paper  for  new^flMHsit  made.ia 
America,  it  is  not  emial  to  the  demand.  From  a  return 
made  to  the  manufaauriu^fixkt)!^  of  Philadelphia,  k  ap« 
pears,  that  there  are  forty-eight  pper  milk  in  Pennfylva* 
oU  iione.  Five  mdre  att  boikune  in  one  counur  of 
ihetibte.  Others  are  hnown  to  enift  in  Delawtfe*  Miu 
gland.  New  lerfey,  New  York  and  New  Ehghnd* 
The  united  ftaies,  till  very  lately,  were  kifimfiblt 
uf  the  facility  with  which  thk  branch  can  be  car* 
ried  on,  of  the  profit  which  refidts  from  k»and  ofthemac 
degree  in  which  k  k  eiUhlilhed«  The  uu&trfm^ 


I  9  i 

Uhiteel  ftatel,  and  the  fevftral  banks,  have  paper  of  tht 
mo{i*pttft€t  kind,  fpecially  made  for  them ;  the  priniinjf 
df  books  has  increafed  in  an  aftontfhlng  degree :  and  fac- 
tories df  papn*  hangings  are  carried  oh  with  great  fpirit 
ih  Beilon,  New. Jerl^y,  and  P<hilade)phia.  In  fhort^ 
there  are  albiindaint  prctofs  of  eftablifhment  and  progreft' 
towards  perfection,  hi  this  valuable  branch,  in  which  ever^' 
thing  is  itiidt,  as  it  wei^e,  out  of'n$tMng, 

R_V     M. 

It  is  the  opinion  of  lord  Sheffield,  that  the  whole  aiih^ 
Wefl^Ifidia  rum  (ifed  in  America,  except  a  fmall  quantity 
from  Deinarara,  and  fome  from  St.  Croix,  may  be  fup- 
plied  by  the  BHti(h  Hlands.  The  following  fcale  may  be  re- 
lied on,  ai  the  prefeot  ftate  of  this  bulinefs  in  the  united 
ftates.  If  the  whole  quantity  of  melafles,  of  diftilled  ijpirits 
iintxirted^  and  of  dilhlled  fph-its  made  at  home,  cyf  fhiit^ 
afrid  grain>  Ihould  be  divided  into  132  parts,  it  Would  ftand 


thus. 


MelaOes  imported  would  be 

Bt^itifl),  Danifli,  and  other  rom,  taflia, 

bratidy,  geneva,  arrack,  cordials,  and 

other  diilSled  fpirits  imported,  would 

be» 
Spii'itsdiftilledfrom  the  native  fruits  and 

gr^in  of  the  united  ftates  would  be  ac 

kaft 

Total 


parts* 


37 


35 


It  is  afcertained,  that  theBritifli  fpints  are  not  more  thai| 
It  p»rts  of  thefecond  item  of  37  ;  and  it  appears  that  tht 
Wefl'India  rum^  fupplied  by  all  nations,  is  reduced  to  about 
one  fottfth  of  our  confumption  and  fale  to  foreign  nati-* 


*  There  it  reafon  to  afHrm,  that  the  two  firft  articles  have  decreafed* 
and  that  an  tncreafe  in  the  quantity  of  the  aitide  which  fellowSi 
them,  hat  taken  place.      ,  * 

c 


t  I«  1 

ons  of  diftilled  fpirits.  How  long  wc  Hiall  continoe  to 
take  even  that  proportion^  is  very  uncertain.  Breweries 
are  multiplying:  their  value  is  becoming maniteft.  Grain 
and  fruit  diftineries  are  rifing  up  every  where.  From  in« 
terior  tituations  two  gallons  of  fpirit,  extraded  from  a 
buihel  of  rye,  can  be  brought  to  markets  where  it  will 
realize  to  the  farmer  two  thirds  of  a  dollar  for  his  grain, 
at  lefs  expenfe  than  if  Inade  into  flour,  and  carted  to  the 
fame  fpot.  The  country  is  abundantly  fupplied  with  ftills ; 
a  nd  were  the  Britifli  iflands  to  be  refuled  our  flour  and 
grain  by  their  own  government,  as  lord  Sheffield  advifes, 
this  country  would  be  compelled  to  indemnify  itfelf  by 
making  grain  Ipirits  and  malt  liquors  in  beu  of  their  rum^ 
which  it  IS  reatonoble  to  fuppofe  we  fhould  no  longer  im- 
port; and  mdeed  the  exportation  of  liquors  of  all  kinds, 
made  from  grain,  will  probably  become  very  confidera-' 
ble.  Some  countries  refufe  pur  flour :  and  the  freight  to 
Europe  is  a  heavy  charge  upon  grain.  This  will  induce 
brewing  and  diftillation,  even  wnen  markets  abroad  are 
not  bad;  but  when  prices  in  Europe  are  very  low,  we 
fliall  be  more  ftrongly  impelled  to  them.  Fruit  fpirits  mud 
be  made  coptinually,  and  will  add  much  to  the  aggregate 
of  didilled  liquors.  The  grain confumed  in  Great-Britain, 
in  their  breweries  and  diftilleries,  is  computed  to  be  twen- 
ty-four millions  of  bufliels,  though  they  are  obligee^ to 
import  confiderable  quantities  of  wheat,  oats,  floor,  6r. 
and  though  they  have  rum  colonies  to  fuppert,and  tofup- 
ply  them  with  fpirits.  Holland  alfo  carries  on  the  liquor 
nianufadories  to  a  great  extent,  though  unable  to  feed  it- 
felf. The  ability  in  the  united  ftates  to  do  the  fame,  can- 
not be  doubted,  and  willcertainly  increafe.  The  facilities, 
which  are  or  may  be  granted  to  our  (hips  and  trade  by 
foreign  nations,  who  maive  fpirits  from  the  vine,  the  cane, 
or  grain,  will  induce  returns  in  brandy,  rum,  or  gin,  which 
will  diminifh  the  American  demand  for  Britiih  rum. 


C    II    3 

TheiJea  that  the  urAtedflates  are  a  country  f/ui  generis. 

This  poHtion  the  writer  of  the  obfervations  treats  as 
peifedly  whimfical — as  a  ^re  of  rhetoric  conveying  no 
diftinft  idea,  or  an  effort  of  cunniug,  to  unite,  at  the 
fame  time,  two  inconfiftent  characters.  Yet  it  will  not  be 
difficult  to  demonftrate  to  an  unprejudiced  mind,  that  the 
circumftances,  in  which  the  people  of  thefe  dates  were 
placed,  were  different  from  thole  of  any  other  nation ; 
and  that  there  were  fome  peculiarities  in  them,  confider-  ■ 
ed  with  refpeCt  to  Britifli  affairs,  which  rendered  it  a  feri- 
ous  queftion,  whether  they  did  not  require  a  particular 
arrangement.  It  is  true,  that  the  citizens  of  the  united 
ftates  liad  *'  renounced  the  duties  of  Britifli  fubje£t&,''  or, 
in  other  words,  that  they  had  affumed  an  independent 
ftatlon  :  but  this  meafure  was  ^y  juftified^  if  we  may 
fo  fpeak,  by  Britain's  abandoning  the  ground,  which 
produced  the  war— /A^  affertm  of  the  right  to  bind  thefeo- 
fie  of  America  in  all  cafes  whatfoever.  It  will  be  acknow- 
ledged, toe  that  we  nianufadhired  lefs  at  that  time  than 
any  other  nation  in  the  world ;  confequently  we  were 
a  more  profitable  commerqiai  connexion.  We  fliipt, 
in  (MToportion  to  our  population,  more  raw  materials,  and 
proviiions,  which  they  want,  than  any  otho*  nation ;  for  it 
appears  we  load  650,000  tons  of  fliipping,  and  that  their 
cargoes  are  almoft  entirely  unmanufa^red.  We  were, 
by  much,  the  firft  cuftomer  for  Britifli  manufactures ;  for 
it  appears  by  their  es^Lports  for  17S4,  that  the  greatell  va. 
lue  was  fliipped  to  the  united  ftates,. being  £.  3,641,007, 
fterling,  including  no  raw  arddes ;  and  that  the  next 
greateft  foreign  fliipment  was  to  Hdland,  being  only 
/.  ifif 7',48o,  part  of  which  was  for  German  confump- 
tion— and  that  in  the  year  1785,  alfo,  the  greateft  value 
was  fliipped  to  the  united  itates,  being  £,  2,308,023  as. 
fterlin^,  and  that  the  next  greateft  foreign  fliipment  was 
likewiie  to  Holland,  amounting  to  f,  1,605,303,  part  of 
which  was  not  manufactures.  The  exports  to  Ruflia  in 
eadi  of  thofe  two  years  was  lefs  than  half  the  exports  tp 
New- York  or  Pennfylvania.  It  is  to  be  remembered,  too, 
how  great  a  proportion  of  the  Britila  export  tra^e  theif 


C    n    3 

ffiipments  to  America  conftitoted.  In  1784,  t|)pir 
whole  exportations  were  /.  15,733*^47$  »^  in  1783, 
/*   \6  yjo  228'' 

In  addition  to  gopds  from  Britain,  Wjt  tpok  very  Wgii 
qinntitiea  of  linen  and  other  dry  goods  from  Iff  lanid;  ?q4 
•n  enormous  value  in  rum,  and  pfher  produce  of  tbeU* 
Well-India  iflands ;  and  further  ^e  were  a  i^ion  of  plant? 
•rs  and  farmers,  wbofe  quantities  of  unimproved  f^Uiji-; 
cultivated  lands  were  manifold  pe^tfr  than  tfaiiie  whicb 
•were  or  are  yet  brought  intoufe,  and  cpnieq;>iently;»  great 
and  conftant  demand  might  be  re^fprisbly  eKpe^M  to  ex-s 
U\  for  thofe  fupplies,  which  Britain,  ypon  reafpoablii 
terms  pf  intercourife,  would  be  able  tQ  fumifli.  pur  d)(V 
tant  r^uation,  and  the  tranfportation  of  goods,  wbicli 
will  lade  650,000  tons  of  ihippiAg>  were  circumftancesiik 
v.eu^ablc  to  the  carrying  trade  of  Qiyr  likieral  conpeaUonii 
and  allies,  which  no  other  country  pnefcnted  to  Oreat- 
Britain*— We  have  bithcrtp  fiiflercd  her  to  particSpatifr 
freely  in  this,  for  it  appears,  that  in  the  laft  year,  ajOjOob 
i^pns  of  British  veffela,  a  fourth  of  all  their  private  ftips, 
were  loaded  in  pur  ports. 

If  then  the  united  ftates  aftaajiy  funaifli  tjbe  moft'  folic^ 
iteow  of  Britifli  foreign  commercey-r^if  the  faw  ihateri^ 
they  aflTord  be  tlKe&ntial  elemenispf  a  large  proportion  of 
t^  Britiih  QMnitfafhires-r-ifovr  demands  frcnn  that  natiph 
be  not  only  much  the  largely,  Ittut  alfo  <^  kinds  the  moft 
profitable  to  them— if  our  peculiar  lituation  would  haviji 
djrawn  us;  in  a  greater  degree,  than  aoy  ot^r  country 
to  agriculture,  and  from  manpfadures-rrif  our  language, 
pur  religion,  oup  theories  of  liberty  and  law,  were  the 
fame  as  theirs— -the  idea  of  our  being  a  i^toi^  peculiar^ 


*  Recent  and  authentic  information  warraott  the  aflbrtioa,  that 
4he  united  ftatep^'Jpjr  fix  yearii  fubfequeot  to  the  ttxa^  of  Pant  in 
9783,  inaported  n^e  gdod«froiB  Great: J^ri^aiff  than  wene  import? 
cd  from  thence  by  any  othsr  country,  by  thf  difference  of  a^t  lep4 
half  a  million  of'fterling  v^onsy,  and  probably  more,  t^o*  tbejir 
exports  to  foreign  tMtious  were  compofed  io  j^^  of  our  tpbacco^ 
rice^  indigo,  &c.    '• —         .         '    ,     > 


t    «3    3 

drcumibnced,  fuch  a  people  ai  exift  not  elfewherf,  cim- 
not,  in  candour,  be  treatea  as  fanciful  t  and,  indeed,  did 
not  the  ferioufnefs  of  a  fubjefl,  which  involves  the  inter- 
efts  of  two  nations,  fupprefs  every  feeling,  which  miEht 
teno  to  obfcure  them,  the  indecorum  and  acrinK%,  with 
which  this  and  other  paj^es  of"  the  obfervations"  are  foil* 
ed,  ought  qot  to  pafs  without  due  animadveriion. 

The  profecuticn  of  this  examination  will  be  continued 
in  a  fubfiiquent  paper.  In  the  mean  time,  what  has  been 
already  thrown  out;  may  be  duly  and  temperately  confi- 
dered.  Tbeprelent  leafon  is  interefting  and  critical.  The 

5>blicy,  which  the  united  ftates  ought  to  obferve,  in  th^ 
'egijhaim  of  cmmierce,  is  likdy  to  bt  formally  difcufled* 
At  luch  a  moment,  fads,  accurately  afce^tained  and  can- 
didly ftated,  areof  the  utmbft  importance ;  for  how  fhaO 
we  fo  well  reaibn,  as  from  what  we  know?  It  is  to  be 
Retired,  that  the  light  of  indij^able  truth  may  enable  our 
own  legiQators  and  tbofe  of  foreign  nations,  to  difcove^r 
the  jg^ound  of  common  intereft,  ian^  that  no  erroneous 
inaxim%  however  fandioned,  may  dofe  one  avenus  of 
mutually  beneficial communicatioQ.  ^      v  .<    •. 


-'■    .w  ■ 


♦      * 


'* 


)K" 


jWtI 


# 


SECOND    NUMBEI. 


IT  was  preinifedl,  in  the  firft  number,  that  no  particiilar 
attention  would  be  paid  to  order  in  this  examination. 
We  ihaB  therefore  proceed  to  remark  upon  timber,  fcant* 
ling,  boards,  fhingles,  ftaves,  heading,  and  hoo{is^  uudec 
the  general  denomination  of 

LUM&ER. 

*   ■ 

Thefe  artides  are  of  the  greateft  importance  to  thii 
Irifli  provUion  trade,  to  Britifii  commerce  and  mauufac* 
tures  in  general,  and  particularly  to  the  profitabli  gjjjj^ 
nagement  of  Weft  India  eftates.  Lord  Sheffield  is  of  ipr 
nioR,  that  *'  mdl  of  them  may  be  imported  from  Canada 
and  Nova  Scotia,  on  as  eood,  if  not  better  terms,  than 
from  thefe  Ibtes  ;**  and  that  **  Nova  Scotia  will,  at  leaft 
for  fome  time,  have  little  elfe  to  depend  on,  but  her 
filheries,  provifions  and  cutting  of  lumber.^'  But  theex* 
perience  of  1790,  feven  years  after  thofe  provinces  began 
to  regain  order,  inilru6ls  us,  that  there  were  fhipt  in  that 
year,  from   the  united  ftates^o  Nova  Scotia  alone^ 


V 


t  16  1 

^40,000  of  ftaves  and  heading,  924,980  feet  of  boarfls^ 
185,000  fliingles,  and  i6,eoo  hoops. 

The  legiflature  of  Jamaica  (the  imports  of  which  if- 
land  direduy  from  the  united  dates,  might  be  eftimated^ 
in  1784,  at  half  our  fliipraents  to  the  Britifh  Weft  In- 
die»)  accompanied  their  addrefs  to  the  Britifli  paliament, 
>vith  pro6^  jiiat  ^ly  20  bundles  <f  hoops,  361,4324  fliin- 
gles and  ftaves,  and  510,088  feet  of  lumber,  were  im- 
ported into  that  idahd  from  Canada,  Nova  Scotia^  and 
,  St.  John's,  between  the  3d  of  April  1783,  and  the  26th 
of  Odober  1784,  a  term  of  nearly  nineteen  months  !  It 
appears  probable,  then,  that  they  did  not  fupply  their 
Weft  India  brethren  with  mortf  than  one  half  of  wMhe 
they  import,  at  this  mature  ftage  of  their  fettlements, 
from  us.  It  is  to  be  remembered,  that  Jamaica  drew  no 
fupplies  of  our  lumber  through  the  Dutch  and  Danifli 
iflands ;  though  the  Carribee,  or  more  windward  iflands 
#t  thai  time  did.  From  1768,  to.  1772,  only  36,100 
ilungles  and  ftaves,  aiid  27,235  ftcftof  Himbfcf,  were  fhipt 
annually  from  the  northern  ^ritiflicoioniei  to  theiftand  of 
Jainaica. 

In  another  page  of  the  obi|*rVjitidhs,  ^e  are  told,  that' 
hoops,  ftaves,  and  boards  may  tiiS  i€t\t  out  tti  the  Wei$ 
Indies  from  England,  "  bec^ufe  the  freight  is  lower  than 
from  the  united  ftates."  Here  again,  the  writer  of  the 
dbfervations  is  unfortunate  in  his  proposed  means  of  fup^ 
ply  :  for  it  appears,  that  there  were  (hippefd,  in  th^  year 
gllgye  mentioned^  to  the  turnpedH  dbminions  of  GHik 
^nfiain,  13,306,000  ftaves  and  heading,  3,000,000  feet 
of  boards,  4,000,006  feet  of  timber,  253,000  fhingles^ 
and  6000  of  hoops.  We  learn,  tOO;  from  nir.  Anders  . 
fbn*s  hiftory  of  commerce,  that  therd  vtrerfc  i. ..'ported 
from  England  to  the  Weft  Indies,  in  I787,  the  valuf0 
of  /80.  I2J.  5^.  fterling  and  no  mor^e,  in  boards,  ftate^ 
and  other  lumber,  toward)  the  fupply  of  the  demand  of 
thofe  iQands,  which  lord  Sheffield  admits  to  have  been^ 
in  1770,  about  thirty  five  millions  of  boards,  fcantling, 
ftaves  and  hoops,  and  fifteen  millions  and  a  half  of 
ihingles.  It  will  appear  to  him  an  extraordinary  fadt, 
(and  muft  excite  a  fmile  in  the  graveft  countcnancej 


If  balance  of  the  lumber  account  between  Great 
pcatn  and  her  Weft  India  colonies^  Jis  aduaVy  againilft 
former:  for  we  learn,  from  another  of  mr.  Ander- 
Ton's  documents,  that  there  were  fhipt  thither  from  thofe 
coloniea,  between  Michaelmas  1786,  and  the  fame  day 
in   1787,/; 3070  ly*    lid.  fterlin^,  in  boards,  ftaves 
and  timbers  dot  if  the  projed  of  (hipping  fjr^m  Europe 
were  as  rational  as  it  is  wild,  what  would  become  of 
of  the  low  freights,  upon  which  it  itf  in  part  founded  i 
The  lumber  a^ually  taken  by  the  Britifh   Weft  Indies 
from  the  united  ftates,  «exhaufted,'' as  this  writer  mii- 
reprefents  them  to  be,  would  load  all  the  veflels  that 
depart  from  Great  Britain  to  the  Weft  Indies;  for  it 
would  fill  above  100,000  tons  of  (hipping ;   and  a  large 
quantity  of  tonnage  would  ftill  be  required   for  the 
coal,  malt-liquors,  wines,  loaf  fugar,  candles,  foap,  provi- 
(ions,  corda^,  bale  goods,  nails,  tallow,  lime,  carriages^, 
6rc.  which  are  conftahtly  (hipped  thither  from  £urope. 
The  prices  of  lumber,  in  London  and  the  united  ftates, 
have  been  gravely  compared ;  and  December  1783,  was 
taken  as  the  common  feaibn.  It  is  unneceflTary  to  lofe 
time  in  difproving  an  allegation  about  a  period  fo  long 
pa(red,  which,  however,  cOuld  be  fatisfadorily  done,  or  to 
animadvert  upcm  the  fupp|xfIion  of  the  price  of  boards  in 
which  we  had  fo  much  more  the  advantage.  Our  public 
returns  from  the  feveral  ports,  which  cannot  be  fuf^fed 
to  undervalue  the  article,  nor  indeed  do   they  vary 
materially  from  the  (hipping  prices,  give  the  medhim  rats 
of  iif  dollars  or /.3  17J.  fterlinsfor  red  oak  and  Hl^ 
oak  (laves,  and  heading,  fit  for  barrels,  hodheads,  anc 
pipes.  The  prices  of  ftaves  vary  exceedingly  in  the  dif- 
ferent markets  of  the  united  ftates ;  and  that,  which  was 
felededby  the  writer  of  the  obfervations,  is  known  not 
to  be  among  the  cheapeft.  Even  there  the  article  is  at  this 
time  thirty  per  cent,  below  the  quotation  in  the  obfer- 
vations. But  we  have  already  noticed  the  very  lame  ex- 
portation of  lumber  from  the  united  ftates  to  the  Britiih 
Eun^an  dominions,  which  alone  is  a  fu(ficient  contra- 
diction of  the  fad,  and  is  a  fatisfia£lory  corredion  of  th^ 
'•bfervations. 


# 


%■ 


-« 


H. 


The  foUowing  ftttenMintof  the  prices  in  % 
'^^'ancl  Jamaica  wiil  notlxicleenied  uninterefting,  asteAcI* 
ing  to'fliew  the  rates  at'  which  French  and  American 
veflels  fiipt>Iy  titie  former^'  and  Britifh  veflels  Aippiy 
the  latter^  alihoaeh  the"  home^  dominions  ef  France 
were  incapacitated  from  fttmifliidg;  their  uTual^uantiij 
«f  proVifions^ 

At  KingfiOn  inf  Jainaica/i^^ 

June.  Odr         .  Nov.  , 

ddlls.  doHs.      dolls,    dolls,     dolls. 
Super,  flour,  p.  lb.  io«20to  lo.  50 


Common  do.    do.  9*37l 

Ship  bread,     do.  5.25 

tln<^an  meal,  do.  5'^5 

Rice,  per  too  lbs.  Z'ZTi 
,Pork,    do. 

Jiams,  per  lb*  •igk{ 
;Butterdo* 

Pine  boards,  14. 

rR.  O.  hhd.  (hn^es,  24. 

Wooden  hoops,  ^o. 


7'5^ 

6.TS 
4.30 

4*50 

4.  »f 
14.     . 

27. 

J  36. 


At  Cape  Francois*^  1 750. 


dolls. 
Superfine  flourj  per  bbU      10, 


Common    do» 
;Shi£  bread, 
,  J|HpBnn  meal) 
"""^ke,  per  io8  lb* 
Beef,        do. 
Hams,  per  lb. 
Butter,     do. 
Pine  boards, 
K.  O.  hhd.  ftavesf  ^ 


do. 
do. 


9. 
3-54 

6.6 
'9 

15.76 
U 


oa. 

dolk. 
6.50 

5« 

2.50 
2.91 
7- 

•9 

I2iI2 
16. 


7.50(08.25 
7*12107.56 
•4.87 

4.50  to  5.25 

.ii5 
«5 

ft7» 
30» 

Nov. 
dolls,    dolls* 
6  to    6.50 

5  «>    5*45 


7.  to       t. 

.t2 
10.91 
12. 


N.  B.  Wooden  hoops  vary  in  Cape-Francois  from  14 
to  28  dollars. 


*  Tht  dtttiett  from  one  to  tt\  per  cent,  are  included; 
t  The  French  Weft-Indiant  ufe  very  few  white  oak  hhd.  ftivcfl» 
nalcing  little  rum,  or  tafEa,  and  having  a  fufficiency  of  old  cailu^, 
Ib  which  brandy  has  bten  imported. 


^It^tiot  Mfy  to  afcertaih  thepreiiJTe  degree  in  which.di^ 
"^j^iikUMltmiSm^  wiffe  lan?fs^frpm.  their  ow||| 
dm\mt!9*i  M»t  njjjpH  lig^t  M  tljr^wa  mop  the  enquiry,.] 
bjif  the  iDf(j|^fi|i^qp  ^f  the  jaiipaiqi  legHjai^ire :  and  it  a|^,4 
p^,  ti^ttjofe  l^iM^Sivracan  pwts  %9ito  ^wje.  The^) 
nqfi|h^n)^cd/Ef9iw«tf!?i>pvdi  tplpipqiSj^omx^  now,  moiig) 
tWw  tlu^  e3^>avc^d  in  1794  '^f^4^  oqr.re^m-n  of  cx-.j 
ppjts  of  lupilJ^  tobljw^  Weij^I^a  ||5fjpd%  J^^ 
year,  exceeds  the  q^ag^ti|y,  ft)ip%|fe^rbj?fprp  tlje  rey<^ 
lution,  the  fupplies  from  Canada  i^nd  Nova-Scotia,  eveir 
now,  mufl^^eceC^J^J^.Yoy  inccfii^era^^^ 

The  ftate  of  Georgia,  which  is  penetrated  by  larj^ 
nyprs,  would  pr^|£  ^m^  mm-^PS^^^^^"^, 
flip  the  BjFmri>^g9ii8Wii&  willj^cawr^ ip. ^j^c  neajt t^jveiw 

1^  clipEiatf,  ^t^^J^p^ts,  ^hich  ar^  mpft,fQpyenirnt|]^ 
iwSf  thp(^  ofp^9?^i%^  more  fp  j);a^|  opf  ii;  in  the  middfe 


M. 


^t: 


*  Aftw  tht  ftrft  pttblicaUon  oftliit  cxamiaaSioii  a  prpclamatioft' 
•f  the  govcTMr  eC  JNova  fieotia  was  teaemcd  ta  the  uoit«d  §xtiu$. 
jpormitting  th«  ioiportation  of  tyery  fftceirt  o£  ^kMvb«r,  ftpm  h^nec^ 
intot^at  provii^fp,  for  £ix  months  qf  ^  79,'>  during^  aU  tfvhidi  the 
,St<  j^wreqcf  m  fy^  frmn  ice.  As  ^^xifould  hsvepref<^re^,ti| 
4raw  their  iifp|il^s  4a^^f  the  term  o^  the  lichee,  froin  Qua^^t^. 
tf  that  coyntry  co^il^  have  i(i^ni^  tIkieinTr'and  as  lumber  4c^,  lio^ 

dcj^nd  on  (eaj(pi^v  ^  i*  PP^f  "^^.  ^^99*9!^  &V^*  ^^^^  ^4iifeE>, 
^tures,  an  itrefr^ikie  proof  Is  afForqed,  tkat  Gahada  cannolf|P»^< 
ply  the  dcmanii  of  ^#^4  S^^i^t  much  iefi  oniw  Weft.  Indies,  M^ 
fhat  Nova>  Scotia  wants  pooiulation,  or  timber,  or  both,  tbehahljt 
her  to  furntfli' itii^bttfr  «Dough/or  her  tvm  dtmamd.  It  feienas  high.' 
)y probable, ibatwitbout  aur lumber t  tbeHyt-Iadia tradt  oftb»,iatr* 
ikimSritift  sibrnta  ^ouUfajftr  deeplyt  they  having  neither  g ra^^ 
^ur^  hifeuit,  nor  lumber,  to  iill  up  the  veflffl»«  which  takeout 
their  parcels  of  fifli  {  and,  it  is  alfo  probable,  that  a  prc^hibition  oi| 
our  part,  were  we  inclined  to  it,  would  afeft  their  fiiheries,  by  en« 
hancing  the  price  of  .caiks  for  its  package.  Ihe  cpft  of  caflcs in 
Mova  Scotia,  at  this  time,  is  a  heayier  charge  on  ^tr  fi/h,  diw 
.our  impo0^  ^1  jt  new  Qiads, 


,  ,i'ji  0^r'^,~<M^T^"> 


Soutb-Cirolina  will  bring  into  theabuhdatitlumber-majr^ 
ket  of  Charlefton,  a  new  and  large  (bp()ty.  North-Carolina 
has  very  great  magazines  of  timber^  stnd  the  opening  di 
the  Pafquotanlc  canalwiU  give  it  to  ail  the  ports  orwe 
Chefapeak.  The  middle  and  eaftern  flates  ate  more  ex*  ^ 
haufted ;  but  larg^  q^^ntitibs  will  long  be  exported  fror^^' 
the  Delaware^  much  larger  frorh  the  Hutdfoti^  and  ftilll 
greater  from  the  province  of  Maih^.  '  .  r 

NOVA  SCOTIA  AND  CANADA,        - 

^reat  roiramteH  placed  by  this  and  other  Englifli  writ- 
es on  tiie  fuppfies;  which  may  be  derived  by  the  Wcft-In- ' 
^taiflands  from  the  northern  Britiih  colonies.  Ithasbeen^ 
already  Ihown,  that  they  hitherto  afford  little  or  no  luni-' 
ber.Of  rice  and  naval  ftores  they  cannot  furnifh  any,  pro-; 
'  ducing  none.  Of  flbilir,  Ganadia  can  yet  have  fupplied  but  a' 
Ihiall  proportioh,  having  few  mills^  having  to  fuppiort  cattle^ 
through  long  winters,  and  her  climate  preventing  (hip* 
ments  durmg  half  the  year* .  The  voyage  is  a  very  heavy 
pne,  being  long  and  pti  a  $ngle  freiglut.  Npva  Scotia  can 
Itever  fu^y  much  oi  this  article,  and  has  taken  from  the 
united  ftates  above  40,900  barrels  of  meal  and  bread, 
within  the  laft  year,  belides  Bo,ooo  bufhels  of  grain. 
Canada  is  too  remote  to  fend  fuf^lies  of  cattle,  hogs, 
iheep,  and  horfes  •  and  our  exports  of  thefe  animals  to 
l^Jova  Scotia,  prove  they  have  not  yet  any  to  fpare.  Of 
pfed  cattle  899,  of  horfes  1 2,  of  Iheep  2,244,  of  hogs 
307,  and  of  poultry  2376,  were  fhipped  fron^i  the  unitej. 
^ates  to  the  northern  Britiih  coloojes,  in  a  little  morQ 
than  one  year,  from  the  autumn  of  1789  to  ^hat  of  i^po. 
Very  little  beef,  pork,  hams,  tongues,  taUow,  lard,  but- 
ter, cheefe,  candles,  or  foap,  can  be  fparedtothe  Weft. 
Indies,  by  countries  which  import  black  cattle,  hogs,flieep, 
and  poultry. 

The   documents  adduced  by  the  Jamaica  legiflature 


*  Canadian  flour  will  always  be  fubj«£tto  fpoiling,  as  it  muft  b« 
nade  in  fumiher. 


* 


e  ti  3 


fZ 


ment  ftnther  to  ihow.that  betweentHe  3d  of  AprH,  1  *>9|^ 
and  the  26th  of  Odbbdr,  1784^  iliey  had  receiveti^  i^j 
that  populous  and  extenfive  ifltndy  from  Canada,  St.; 
John's*,  and  Nova  Scatia»no  ilour-f-no  Indi^in  cortigl^n^r 
or  oats-^no  fiiip  bread  or  other  bifcuit-^no  Indian  c^ 
other  meal— no  horfes,  cattle,  (heep,  hogs,  or  powltry— 7 
10  barrels  of  rice— 180  buftiels  of  potatoes— 751  hogli 
heads,  37  tieross,  39  half  tierces  and  457  barrels  of  ^j 
45  barrels  of  oil,  100  oars,  710  Ihaken  calks  {or  puncheon  • 
packs)  21  maflsand  fpars,  with  the  fmall  par(;els  of  luin*  ^ 
ber  mentioned   under  that  hea^,  and  no  otl^er  goods. 
They  alfo  Ibo^,  that  all  the  imports  of  Jamaica  from 
Canada,  Nova  Scotia  and,  and  Su  John's,  were,  o^  an 
average  of  the  five  years,  fron^  1768.10  I77J>  but  33 
jbarrek  of  flour,  7  hogiheads  of  fith^  9  barrels  of  oil,  3 . 
barrels  of  tar,  pitch  tod  turpentine,  3<^  ,thouf«knd  ai  Om*; 
gles  and  (bves,  and  27,23  c  feet  of  lumber. 

How  far  it  hala  been  in  the  pow^r  of  the  northern  Brir 
tUh  colonies^  or  of  the  Britifh^j&uropeiin  dominions,  tp^ 
fprnifli  their  Weft-India  iflands  with  flour,  bread,  and 
Indian  com,  will  further  appear  fti^vn  die  following  fads. 
It  is  ftated  by  lord  Shekiield,  that  there  were  imported 
from  hence  mto  thofe  iflands,  in  a  year  of  great  plenty 
and  trade,  before  the  revolution,  132,426  barrels  ol  flour 
iind  bifcuic;  but  our  returns  for  13I  months,  already 
mentioned,  (how  that  their  late  demand  from  us  in  that 
term  was  139,286  barrds  of  flour  alone j  and  77,98:^bar. 
r;els  of  Indian  meal,  middlings,  ihip-ftuff,  rye  meal,%id 
bifcnit.  Their  former  annual  fupply  of  Indian  corn,  re- 
ceived from  hejicf,  was  401,471  buHiels  ;  and  their  re- 
cent importationsprove  to  have  been  516,794  bufliels,  in 
the  fpace  of  time  ilated  in  our  late  return. 

It  isunnecefTary  to  dwell  longer  upon  the  fuj^lies  which 
the  remaining  Britifh  American  colonies  were  expedtd 
to  afford  to  their  Weft- India  plantations.  An  experiment 
of  years  has  been  fairly  made'— The  returns  from  their 
cullom  houfes,  and  from  thofe  of  the  ifland«,  will  inform 
the  government  of  Great-Britain  what  they  really  furnifli 
at  this  time,  and  the  proportion  it  bears  to  the  whole  ^e» 

*  Meaning  Ncw-Brunfwic, 


^mmdp  This  head  will  therefore  be  pafled  over  with  it^" 
rtiterjition  of  a  ^  r«aiai^ks^hat  ow  Br itUh  Weft.Iix* 
db  ifiands  arc  proved  to  Ipave  been  nuiebted  to  the,iiiDite<l 
fittesy  in  S790,  Hoc  miort lumber,  more  gram,  andinQre 
bread  and  flour,  jthian  they  ionported  frootthefe  ft^tes  be- 
fore 'the  revohttion^hac  their  remaiiiiiig  colonies  can 
therefore  have  fiirnUhed  them,  in  their  preieat  aiature 
tbttti,  but  in  yery  finall  <)oantitiesT*-{bat  tbofe  cobnieji' 
have  re<]ii^ed  of  us  near  half  the  an^pim;  in  cattle^  h^^s^ 
and  (heep,  which  the  Weil-India  inlands,  fornia^  took  o£^' . 
and  that  the  high  prices  of  wet  and  ihioked.p»rovUiotis  in ; 
the  Britifli'Weft-kidief,  which  are  greater  ithanihofa' 
ill  the  French  i^Hinds;^  >rhere  thofe  aftides  are.  i^rohibitedi 
or  heavily   dutied,  ful^  prove,  thaf^tUey  depend  /or 
tbeni  on  Ireland  aloAe^  and  rece^eiib  ierfible  .rrll|Bf> 
finm  the  Britl(h  American  colonies.  Thfl(ir<  inability  to  ftii^ 
nHh  Supplies  of  prOviOons  to  ihe  ^'^ift.ln^  iflands  if 
fairly  t«  be  prdbmed  firom  the  pi^e)clan»tipn4}f  tfaegov«r] 
cnior  of  Nova-^Scotia,  already  mend«H»ed,  whkb,  be- 
IKes  the  article  (»f  iutaber,'  permits  this 'importation  from- 
tikt  united  ftates,  of  grain/  flour,  biTcUit,  cattitt>  iheep, 
IKHiltry,  (dK.  through  the  w/bolefeaibn  i)f  1 791,  when 
the  St.  Lawrence  and  bay  of  Fundy  are  eert^ly  ^viga* 
ble»  and  the  province  oi  Canada  is  exporting  its  fqrplut 
produce.         "■  ^    ,  '       •    *;  -  .^/r:fr      " 

h    I    fi    S    E    Z    D     O   t   t. 

This  article  is  faid,  in  the  obfervations,  tQ  be  made  Sq 
lorrte  parts  of  America,  from  the  refufe  of  the  flaxfeed, 
and  that  the  quantity  is  tinfling,  compared  with  the  con- 
famptioni  It  is  added,  that  connderable  quantities  went 
from  Britain  to  Amenta^  before  the  war ;  and  the  UngUffa 
nation  are  left  to  believe,  that  tliis  will  continue  to  b^  the 
cafe,  though  diey  adually  import  feed  fropi  hence  to  make 
oil.  ■■'•'■    ■  • 

The  ^wth  of  flax  is  exceedingly  increafed  in  th!i£ 
country,  and  particularly  ^n  interior  lituations.  Oil  mills 
having  become  more  numerous,  the  feed  in  thofe  inland 
places  is  manufiadured  into  oil.  This  will  bear  an  expenfe 
^  tranfportttbBi  which  fo  bulky  an  article  as  the  iac^ 


.^3 


■^ 


'^mnnot  iuftain.  Hence  the  jirefeDI  ^i4e  of  llnftcd  oil,  «|l 
cer  it  is  brought  down  to  the  PhiUiictphM  market,  is  abo«c 

-3/1  fterlingy  while  the  price  in  LonclOn  is  finoiD  2/3  to^ 
Thelrifhdemand  for  bur  fted  is  oboOt  42,000  hhds. :  cf* 
ter  dedufting  that,  the  remainder  miffl  be  made  Into  ^ 
herei  Or  (Upped  to.  Europe  for  diat  purpofe.  Thi&ma- 
nufaAory  faeingn^fte^Ud  br  Wrfer  mills,  there  can  be  ao 

,  doubt,  that  liheribcmer  di^pofitba  of  the  furphisieed  will 

rbe  made* 

P  A I N  T  E  R  S»    C  O  L  O  U  R  S. 

Several  of  the  ochres  are  found  in  abundance  in  Vkv 
:;ffinia,  CohniBdicUt,  and'tother  1»Hs-of  the  united  ^ftates. 

Ibe  interior  lituation  of  the  Vu^ia  lead  mine,  whidi. 

now  yields  >Yery  copioofljr,  will  fOoaotcoaiion  them^ 
•nufafhire  of  white  lead,  and  of  ill  the^prepaifationaOf 
'lead,  from>  thr/ame  eaufis  that'faas  been  mentioned  in 
-ithe  cafe  of  Imleed  oil,  and  lye  fpirits— >econoimzioe  la 
'the  tranibortation*  The  patent  cc^ours  have  ibeen  Ivim 
'  tated  witbj^at  fuccefs.  The  trade  with  Holland  and  the 
'  German  towns,  as  aUb  with  the  1  Aifediterranean  and  the 
•Baft  Indies,igives  usihany  cOloUrs  that  were  former^ 

imported  From  Britain,  lilce;  apoihccarie^  articles,  ftt  ia»f 
imenfe  aiflvances. 

CQACHES  AND  OTHER  CARRIAGES. 

The  importation  of  thefe  wa^  formerly  vfrry  greats 
Virginia,  in  1 7S8,  had  j6o  coaches  and  chariots,  365 
phaetons  and  other  pleaforable  four-wheeled  carriages, 
and  1,967  one- horfe  chairs  and  f(^as.  New  Jerfey,  an 
:  1789,  had  38  coaches/  chariotsy^and  jrfiaetons,  i,54a-one 
horfe  chairs  and  folas,  and  a  very  great  nurtiber  OTplam 
decent  light- waggons,  on  fleel  or  wooden  fpring^ 
Frot«i  thefe  fa&s,  and  limilar  ones  in  the  other  parts  of 
ihe  umon,  it  is  certain  that  the  pleafurable  carriages  t/t 
the  uhked  ftates  would  amount  to  a  very  large  fum. 
Though  to  be  obtained  on  credit  from  England,  no 
jnore  than  ^.5,000  ilerling  in  carriages^  or  parts  of  car* 


t  u  „I 


m  J       .  ^      • 

flaiesy  were  imported   in  the  year  followins  Augoil 

t7^i  including  thbfe  of  litnnerous  travellers  ind  emigra- 
-  tors :  and  220  carriagtj  W#re  exported  to  fcxvign  coim- 
.  tries,   within  the  fame  year.    All  the  woqd  and  iron 

work^  the  harnefs  and  other  leathern  materials,  fre- 
-quently  the   brafs  work,  frinte,  lace,  and  lately  the 

plated  work,    are    made    in  Arnica.    Lord  She^c|d 

feems  to  have  expected  a  confiderable  importation  of 
iithefe  articles  :  but  he  did  not  advert  to  the  poffibility, 

that  the  manufadhirersthemlelves  would  emigrate  tousj 

which  is  every  day  uking  place* 

/'MEDICINES  AND  DRUGS 

.*3;**  Will  be  imported  from  Great  Britain,"  fays  the 
writer  of  the  obfervations,  "  on  account  of  the  know. 
)edge,  which  the  phyficians,  furgeons  anid  apothecaries, 
in  the  American  ftates,  have  of  the  method  of  preparing 
and  procuring  them  diere."  Men  of  the  requifice  ikiU 
from  other  countries  are  to  be  found  in  moft  of  our 
principal  feaports.    To  thefe  many  of  the  chemical  and 
'Galenic  operations  of  Holland,  France,  and  Germany  are 
'  not  unknown.  Saltpetre,  muflc,  camphor,  rhubarb,  and 
other  £aft  India  articles  in  this  line,  have  been  ihipt  oc- 
cafionally  from  the  united  fiates,'  in  condderable  parcels. 
Bark,  fulphur,  balfam  capivi,  and  many  othei;.  medicinal 
productions,  have  been  obtained  froan  Spain,  the  Mediter- 
ranean, the  Weft  Indies,  and  other  places.  Holland  par- 
ticipates largely  in  our  importations  of  cb/mical  prepa- 
■  rations;  but  many,  which  ufed  to  be  imported,  are  begun 
to  be  manufadured  here :  and  esqportations  of  them  to 
advantage,  have,  in  fome  iijftances  taken  place.  The 
knowledge  which  our  medical  gentlemen  have  acquired 
abroad,  and  in  their  profefTional  reading  at  home,  of 
the  methods  of  procuring  drugs,  has  been  communicated 
to  our  merchants :  and  their  information  of  the  methods 
of  preparing  chymical  articles,  has  been  often  put  in 
praAice  here.  There  is,  no  doubt,  a  confiderable  trade 
in  thefe  commodites  from  Great  Britain.   But  it  is,  even 
now,  affeded  by  the  above  circumilances,  and  is  not  by 


:j# 


tny  means  a  monopoly.,  From  our  free  and  enterpriflng  , 
6oirim«rce,  the  natural  produdlions  of  the  country, 
and  chymical  (kill,  it  mud  decreafe  every  year.  Great 
Britain  pofTeflfes,  from  nature,  lefs  of  thefe  commodities 
than  the  united  dates.  Foreign  tradej,  and  (kill  employ- 
ed at  home,  will  give  us  »  great  (hare  of  thofe,  y^kich 
are  not  fpontaneous  productions  of  our  various  foil  and 
climate.  ,  % 

haiU^J^lkv,  and  other  tnanufaSlures  tf  iron,  and  thofe  qf 

Are  placed  fecond  on  the  lift  of-  articles,  in  which  It  is 
alleged  Great  Britain  will  fuftain  litde  competition :  and 
lord  Sheffield  remarks,  that  "  whatever  we  make  of  them, 
is  at  theexpenfe  of  at  leaft  three  times  the  amount  of 
what  thefame  articles  could  be  imported  for  from  Europe.'* 
The  iron  branch  is  hidily  important  and  growing  in  the 
tmited  ftates.    In  Maflachufetts,  there  were  feventy-dx 
iron  works,  many  of  them  fmall,  in  1784.  The  Virginia 
Works  make  abovt  5,300  tons  of  iron.  The  Hitting  and 
tolling  mills  of  Pennfylvania,  are  afcertained  to  cut  and 
toll  1500  tohs  or  3,36o,ooolbs.  per  annum:  and  focoft- 
pletely  do  they  obviate  the  objeAion  of  manual  labour, 
which  is  conftantly  urged  againft  American  manufadures, 
that  they  onploy  but  twenty-five  hands.    In  that  ftate^ 
thete  drevklfo  fncteen  furnaces  and  thirty  feven  large 
forges:  in  New  Jerfey  alone,  in  the  year  1789,  the 
tiumber  of  forges  were  feventy-nine  and  of  furnaces 
eight.  And  though  the  details  are  not  fo  well  known, 
they  are  very  nUinerous  in  Maryland  and  moft  of  the 
dates.  Thefe  works  are  annually  increadng,  and  particu- 
larly in  interior  (ituations.    The  nails  and  fpikesconfunied 
yearly   in  the  united   ftates,   (calculating  on  4,000,000 
people,  at  ten  to  a  houfe,   including    negroes,   which 
gives  400,000  houfes)  allowing  ten  pounds  for  the  ave- 
rage ufe  of  all  the   perfons  living  in  each  houfe,  in 
building,  repairing,  fencing,  and  in  their  budnefs,  and 
manufadtoring,  would  be  4,ooo,ooolbs.    Of  this  quantity 
there  were  imported  in  the  returned  year,  1,800^000 


'■  «' 


■  Sii 


•  V 

it; 

f  '.' 

■■'f , 

i%. 

;f 

■:s 

t    »6    1 

Ibst  and  about  2,100,000  pounds  muft,  therefore^  hav9 
bnen  made  at  home.  The  remainder  of  the  flit  and 
rolled  iron  it  eUher  exported  or  made  into  tire,  hoops, 
fprings  for  carriages,  or  fome  fubftitute  for  foreign  in- 
portations.  Ship>biiiHdtne  alio  demands  very  large  quao« 
titles  of  iron  work,  rlough-fliares,  carriages,  astes, 
faws,  hoes,  fpades,  (hovels,  and  kitchen  utenfils,  and 
many  other  articles  employ  the  American  workers  in 
this  raw  material.  AlxxK  one  half  of  the  fteel,  cOnfum- 
ed  in  the  united  ftates,  is  home  made,  and  new  furnaces 
are  building  at  this  moment.  The  works  being  few,  and 
^e  importation  afcertained,  this  {a£k  is  kn^n  to  be 
accurate.  Bar  iron  befoie  the  revolution,  was  ufually 
fold  for  (ixty  four  dollars.  It  fell,  after  the  war,  to  the 
fame  price  ;  and  large  quantities  of  iron  in  bars  and 
pies  were  exported.  The  progrefs  of  manufadures  has 
raifed  thele  articles  to  the  higheft  prices  ever  known 
in  peace ;  and  only  too  tons  in  bars,  and  3C55  tons  in 
pigs  were  exported  in  thuteen  months  and  a  half  of 
1789,  and  1790.  The  exportation  of  this  quantity  wai 
principally  to  throw  the  requifite  weight  into  the  bot- 
toms  of  fliips  laden  with  cargoes  of  tcbacco  or  lumber. 
Lord  Sheffield  ftates,  that  we  fliipped  2592  tons  of  bar 
iron,  and  4624  tons  of  pig  metal  per  annum,  in  feveral 
years  before  the  revolution,  when  it  is  known  our  com« 
merce  and  population  were  not  at  the  higheft.  It  is  alio 
to  be  obferved,  that  we  now  import  confiderable  quan- 
tities of  bar  iron  from  the  Baltic  and  its  vicinity,  par- 
ticularly into  the  eaftern  ftates.  One  thoufand  two  hun- 
dred and  e^hty -eight  tons  of  bar  iron,  were  imported  from 
St  Peterfburg  alone,  in  the  year  1790,  and  above  forty 
tons  of  iron  hoops  and  nail  rods.  From  thefe  fads  may  be 
coUe£led  convincing  proofs  of  the  ftate  of  the  iron  ma- 
nufaflures  of  this  country,  ftrongly  oj^fed  to  the  pre- 
fumptions  of  lord  Sheffield,  as  well  with  refpeft  to  the 
deamefsof  thoSk  manufactures,  as  the  monopoly  of  our 
il^ies. 


I  ■> 


.!ff. 


t    ay    2 

FLOUR  AND   WHEAT- 

Theft  ineftKmable  commodities  are  not,  in  tbe  opinlen 
•F  lord  Sheffield,  the  beft  ftaples  for  the  nnited  ftatet  to 
depend  on ;  becaUfe,  as  he  obierves,  in  general  the  de> 
nlandin  Europii  is  meertain.  He  again  repeats  his  un- 
founded notion  of  a  competition  between  us  and  Nova' 
Scotia  for  tlte  fiippty  df  Europe,  in  thefe  articles ;  and 
adds,  that  it  is  a  fertWMite  cohfeqnenee  of  American  inde. 
pendence,  that  tbe  Britifh  European  iflainds  may  regain 
the  fupply  of  their  Weft  Indies,  with  bread  and  floiir, 
and  that  they  caii  futhnOh  them  cheaper  than  we.  In  re- 
gud  to  the  pr«(peds  from  Nova  Scotha,  enough  hai 
Been  already  widr,  shidparricularly  till  they  difcover  fymp^ 
itvns  of  intentil  refbtirces  for  their  own  ufe,.  by  cea(iiig 
tt»  iTHport  graih  ahd  flour  from  the-noited  (tates.  As  w 
the  European  cdim  ttade,  authentic  and  importanv  ii»- 
formation,  indeed,  is  to  be  derived  ftwn  a  report  of  the 
BHtifh  privy  council,  of  March,  ip^po,  which  is  faid  ttf 
have  been  drawki  by  k)rd  Haiwldbury.  It  is  wifely  ob* 
ferved,  in  that  report,  that  the  cukure  of  grain  is  the 
moft  important  obje^  that  can  receive  the  public  atteta* 
tion  :  and  it  is  ftated  that  the  demand  of  Great  Britain, 
for  flour  andgrain>lm5  (nrodiiced  an  average  balance  a* 
gainft  the  nation,  of  2'29i>ooo  fterling,  for  the  lad 
Sihettfen  years,  although  from  the  year  1746,  to  the  jwar 
1765,  they  ha4  annually  sained,  by  their  com  traded 
^51,000  Aerlinz  on  a  medium.  Ireland,  it  is  true,  has 
^atly  increafed  its  exports  of  grain,  flour,  and  bi£> 
cuit,  but  by  no  mearls  in  proportion  to  this  falling  off 
k^  Great  Britain^  and  its  whole  exports  of  flour  and 
grain  are  much  lefs  than  our  fliipments  to  the  Britifli 
weft  Indies.  Their  lordfhips  proceed  to  itate,  that  in 
confequence  of  infcnrmation  received  by  them  from  tlic 
principal  c(am  countries  of  Europe,  they  are  of  opinion, 
that  the  quantity  of  grain  raifed  in  Europe,  in  com* 
mon  years,  is  not  more  than  equal  t#  the  ordinary  cbn» 
fumptionof  its  inhabitants;  and  that,  in  the  event  of  a 
failure  of  their  crops,  a  fupply  can  only  be  expetSied  from 
j4merka.  In  verification  of  this  formal  official  coniniufli^ 


» 


cation,  on  a  fubje^l  of  fuch  high  importancei  we  fSad^ 
that  the  influence  of  the  late  fcarcity  in  France,  not  on- 
ly pervaded  all  Europe,  but  was  extended  to  the  nio(| 
interior  counties  of  thefe  dates.  Wheat  was  fold  on  that 
Qccafion  three  hundred  miles  frpm  the  ocean,  for  prices 
that  have  been  ufually  acceptable  in  our  Tea  port  towns ; 
and  at  the  places  of  (hipment,  it  was  advanced  to  rates 
l^yond  what  h^  ever  occurr^  fince  jth^  fet^leinent  of 
the  country. 

When  we  remember,  that  by  grain  liquqrs  we  may 
avoid  the  purchafe  of  eleven  millions  and  a  half  of  gal- 
lons of  the  fpirits,  or  ingredients  for  fpirits  of  foreign 
nations ;  that  by  grain  thefe  ftates  are  rendered  tn^ 
alternate  ground  of  dependence  of  every  European 
nation,  in  time  of  need  ;  that  we  are  protected  froqi 
the  poilibility  of  dreadful  famine  by  thi^  blefl'ed  produc- 
tion ;  that  grain  is  the  raw  material  in  which  fpme  con- 
fiderable  manufacturers  work,  and  which  all  mud  necef- 
farily  coiifume  ;  we  muft  fmile  at  the  ideas  which  lord 
Sheffield  has  hazarded^  in  regard  to  thofe  precious  i^ples. 
yheat  and  flour.  *       . 

GUNPOWDER, 

It  is  alTerted,  will  be  imported  cheaper  than  it  cai| 
\it  roanufadtrnTd  in  America.  The  priqe  of  this  article 
has  been  reduced  in  the  Philadelphia  market,  to  fixteeii 
dollars,  or  ^.3  ixr.  fterling  per  ipo  wt.  by  tlie  free 
importation  of  brimflone  and  faJtpetre  from  India  and 
other  countries.  Our  merchants  ufually  pay  for  it  in 
JBngland  at  the  rate  of  y^  to  yd  fliillings  flerling,  after 
deducting  the  drawback  on  exportation.  Twenty-one 
powder  mills  have  been  ere<^ed  in  Pennfylvania  alone, 
lince  the  year  1768  or  17  70— much  the  greater  part  of 
them  iince  the  commencement  of  the  revolution  war : 
four  new  ones  are  now  building  in  that  (late,  one  at 
Baltimore,  and  others  in  different  parts  of  the  united 
fiates ;  and  it  is  certain  they  will  be  multiplied  in  pro- 
|X)rtion  to  the  demand,  whether  it  be  for  home  con- 
fumption  or  exportation.  Of  the  quantity  commonly  in 


t    »9   1 

hand  in  the  Philadelphia  magazine,  not  more  than  feve^ 
per  cent,  is  of  foreign  manufadure.  Saltpetre  and  ful- 
phur  are  found  in  confiderable  quantities,  particularly 
in  the  interior  parts  of  Virginia  :  but  at  prefent  the  com- 
mercial fupplies  are  fo  plentiful  v  id  cheap,  that  our  in* 
ternal  refpurces  are  little  ufed.  baltpetre  is  cheaper  u^ 
Philadelphia  than  in  L^adon. 

The  ability  of  Great  Britain  to  make  her  /hips  the  carriers 
for  the  united  Jhtes, 

It  is  explicitly  declared,  in  tl^e  39th  page  of  lord 
Sheffield's  introdudtion,  that  the  adoption  of  the  ground 
prc^fed  by  him,  will  infure  to  Britifli  fliips  the  carry^ 
Uig  trade  m.  the  united  ftates ;  <'  for  (he  adds)  it  is  cer- 
tain, if  our  navigation  laws  be  maintained,  it  will  not  an- 
^ver  the  Amqricans  to  keep  many  (hips. "  This,  it  will  be 
admitted,  is,  to  us^  if  true,  a  very  interefting  pofition^ 
and  demands  our  moft  ferious  attention .  It  will,  however| 
be  very  eafy  to  (bow,  that  the  private  ihipping  of  the 
united  dates  does  not  depend  upon  Britiih  laws.  The 
tables,  that  accompany  the  report  on  the  American 
fiflieries,  from  the  department  of  ftate,  cjearly  prove, 
that  w(f  are  not  dependent  on  Great  Britain  for  that 
branch  of  commerce.  In  the  regulation  of  our  coaftine 
trade,  which  eqqiploys  above  100,000  tons  of  Ibijj^ing,  ana 
yrhich  will  increafe  with  our  population,  manufactures, 
andufe  cf  coal,  Britifh  laws  can  have  no  operation.  In  our 
conferee  with  the  Baltic,  and  the  North,  with  the  Ne- 
therlands, the  Hanfe  towns,  France,  Spain,  Portugal, 
the  freights,  mod  parts  of  Africa  and  India,  and  the 
colonies  of  the  European  nations,  except  the  Britiih, 
their  navigation  ad  cannot  affect  i|s.  It  appears  moreo- 
ver, that  our  ifhips  are  fo  ''  many,''  as  to  have  amountecf 
to  360,000  tons  of  velfels laden  in  our  ports, by  a  return 
which  M  incomplete,  while  thofe  of  Great  Britain  and 
her  dommiompwere  225,000  tons.  But  it  is  poffible,  tha( 
confiderable  deductions  from  the  Britiih  tonnage  may 
happen.  There  is  little  doubt,  that  the  diminutions  c^ 
bur  importations  from  their  dqminions,  which  have  ta« 


% 


C   3"    3 


Iken  place,  in  regard  to  China  merchandife,  and  other, ' 
Imlia  goods,  Ruifian,  Dutch,  and  German  goods,  paper^ 
iaib>  flieet  iron,  fteel,  Oioes  and  boots,  gunpowder,  lead^- 
coat,  fait,  malt  liquors,  loaf  and  brovm  fugars^  coffee, 
cocoa  and  fpiritous  liquors,  by  reafonofour  intercouriie 
with  other   nations,  and  the  improvement  of  our  own 
xrfources  and  manufactures,  will  be  followed  by  further 
commercial    acquilitions  from  liberal   nations,  by  the 
cmallant    introdudion   of   new   foreign    manufadures^  ^ 
amd  the  dl^iovery  and  attainment  of  new  internal   re- 
Ibiirces.  If,  tor  example,  cotton  be  raifed  and  imported, 
and  fpinniiig  mills  be  ere<fied,  Manchefter  importationi 
m'^\  decreafe  :  if  flax  and  hemp  be  raiied  and  imported,  ^ 
in  greater  quantities,  and  flax  and  hemp  ijnnning  mills 
ie    creeled,  fail-cloth,   ihceting,    and   lhirti|ig   nnens, 
checks,  oznabriss,  table  and  towel  Imen,  6c  wiH  be  im- 
ported more  Iparingly.     Tf  by  thcfe  and  other  means, 
•ur  imports  from  Great  Britain  (hould  be  finally  redo- 
crd  to  iUch  a  funi,  as  will  purchaie  only  fo  mudi  rice, 
tol^acco,  and  other  articles  as  its  people  confume,  thofir 
arti*.ies  will  not  be  ihipped  indire£tiy  to  foreign  coun* 
tnries,  through  Britifh  ports,  as  is  now  the  cafe.    Thefe 
iodire<3  ihipments  give  Britifh  reflels  more  than  an  equal 
jthance  in  the  competition  with  ours  from ,  AoM^riea  t» 
England ;  becaufe  the  property  is  generally  on  Englifh 
account,  and   it  gives  them  fo  far  the  command  of  the 
carriage  from  England  to  other  parts  of  Europe.  From 
idiefe  circumftances,  it  will  be  perceived,  that  it  is  intc- 
teftine;  to  our  private  fhipping,  and  confequently  to  our 
focceis  in  the  eAabli/bment  of  a  navy,  that  we  contwue, 
h/t  prudent  and  faiutary  means,  to  decreafe  our  importa- 
tions frorti  each  foreign  country,  (o  as  in  a  greater  de- 
gree to  equalize  them  with  the  confumption,  which  that 
country  adually  makes  of  our  produdions :  this,  howe- 
ter,  it  is  conceived,  ought  not  to  be  attempted;  by  any 
precipitate  or  coercive  means  ;  but  by  the  eflabliflunent 
f)f  our  mercantile  credit  in  other  countri«k  by  #mmerr 
cial  ehterprifi;,  capital  and  manufaduringKhifhy. 

A  fecondcaufe, which  renders  the  intercourfe  in  the  fhape! 
pS  exffOftsitkm&  to  Cfe^t  Britain  ipordiuatelj  greats  is  tobv 


t    3t    J 


■A 


found  in  the  old  private  debts  due  tothatcoqntry  fitww  IWt, 
Thefe,  Co  far  as  they  will  be  paid  by  money  or  goods^  ai« 
conHderably  diminiflied.  The  rife  of  oiir  (locks,  and  the 
fales  of  them  to  foreigners,  have  enabled  many  to  lefien 
thofe  debts :  and  Britiln  fobjeds  will  continue  to  find  it  their 
intereft  to  buy  into  them .  Thefe  are  payments,  which  occ«« 
fion  only  a  remittance  of  the  intereft :  and  the  commutai- 
tion  of  private  for  public  debts  is  therefore  to  be  defired. 
Part  of  the  old  debts  which  remain  due  to  the  £ngliii 
merchants,  muft  be  received  in  the  foil  and  buildings  of  thii 
country.  When  thefe  fhall  be  accepted  by  the  creditor, 
they  will  remain  immoveable :  and  he  will  find  himfei^ 
or  his  child,  transformed  into  an  American  ireehol^y 
to  his  profit  and  that  of  the  united  ftates,  though  to  the 
injury,  and  Sometimes  the  rain  of  the  unfortunate 
debtor.  This  change  of  the  creditor's  fituation,  wiA 
not  be  unpleadng  to  a  liberal  mind  of  any  counciy, 
and,  if  properly  underilood,  may  meliorate  the  profpeds 
of  the  families  and  connexions  of  many  who  are  con- 
cerned in  American  debts.  A  conntry,  of  great  native 
firength,  becoming  energetic,  intelligent,  free,  not  diC> 
pofedto  provoke  either  infults  or  injuries,  and  in  a  Citu- 
ation  not  to  fubmit  to  a  wanton  impoHtion  of  either^ 
holds  out  as  great  promi(es  of  human  haj^ineis,  as  any, 
of  which  the  foreign  creditor  can  have  been  a  citizen. 
He  is  fure  of  a  kind  recepticm,  and  of  the  protedion  of 
the  laws  and  coaftitution. 

A  third  caufe,  which  has  produced  an  extraordmaiy  in. 
tercourfeinthefliapeof  importations  from  Great-Britaii^ 
has  been  the  want  of  credit  from  other  nations.  We  now 
annually  import  from  Great  Britain  about  900,000  dollan^ 
in  articles  not  of  her  growth,  produce,  or  manuFadure  ; 
and  though  we  have  reduced  this  from  about  2,200,000 
dollars  fince  the  feparation  of  the  two  countries,  there  is 
yet  that  great  value  expenfively,  becaufe  circuitoufly,  im- 
ported. 1  he  purfuitof  the  accudomed  track,  eftablilted  in 
the  time  of  the  oldBritifli  monopoly,  has  been  one  cauki 
of  thefe  unnatural  importations — ^but  thechief  caufe  was  fAp 
credit  we  found  from  England.  1  he  Britifli  inerchanti 
will  probably  continue  to  aiibrd  the  greateft  accomiaioda* 


*". 


t     32     3 

iTom&of  this  kind ;  but  it  is  evident,  that  the  citizens  of  other 
countries  will  furnifh  us  with  credits,and  fomet'nies  in  more 
eligible  Ihapes.  They  will  give  us  their  ca(h  articles  and  their 
coin,  to  be  employed  in  ready-money  trades  at  home  and 
abroad,  in  manufadlures  and  foreign  commerce.  In  proof 
of  this  may  be  adduced  the  refpondentia  credits  in  India 
and  China,  the  purchafes  into  our  public  funds  and  feve- 
ral  bank  flocks,  the  inveftment  of  monies  in  our  lands, 
and  in  our  navigation,  trade,  and  manufaAures.  The 
medium  imports  from  Great-Britain  for  fevefal  years  be-^ 
fore  the  revolution,  appear,  from  European  accounts,  to 
be  to  the  medium  imports  for  an  equal  terra  of  years  an- 
tecedent to  i/fo,  as  27  to  23,  though  our  population 
has  probably  almoft  doubled  ;  and  though  much  larger 
importations  than  heretofore,  by  perfons  inoending  to 
remain  here,  have  alfo  contributed  to  fwell  the  quantity 
in  the  latter  term.  What  is  to  follow  in  this  way,  time,  it 
is  believed,  will  very  quickly  fhow. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  caufes,  which  feem  likely 
to  occafion  a  diminution  ofthe  proportion  of  (hipping  em- 
ployed diredly  and  indiredlly  by  Great-Britain  in  the 
American  trade  (including  the  exportation  of  our  produc- 
tions from  the  Britifh  ports  to  other  markets  in  Europe) 
one  other,  which  does  not  feem  to  have  fufficiently  en- 
gaged their  attention,  may  produce,  it  is  believed,  con- 
iiderable  eiFe£ls.  The  regulations  of  the  Britifh  naviga- 
tion a£t  do  not  appear  to  have  been  duly  examined  i}y 
other  powers,  with  a  view  to  the  adoption  of  fuch  of  them 
as  will  apply  beneficially  to  their  own  affairs.  If  they  have 
had  effects  fo  favourable  to  the  fhipping  and  naval  power 
of  Britain,  it  is  pofTible  they  might  be,  in  a  greater  or 
lefs  degree,  beneficial  to  other  countries.  The  prefent 
appears  a  lit  fenfon  for  fuch  an  examination :  and  we  can- 
not fuiFer,  if  we  enter  on  it  with  temper  and  difcretion. 
That  it  would  diminifli  the  number  of  Britifh  vefTels,  for 
example,  if  the  united  flates  and  all  other  maritime  coun- 
tries, fhould  deem  it  expedient  to  ena£l  into  a  law  of  their 
refpedtive  nations,  the  claufe  of  the  Britifh  ftatute,  by 
which  the  importation  of  all  foreign  goods  is  confined  to 
native  bottoms  and  to  thofe  of  the  nation  producing  the 


t    3f3    1 

articles,  cannot  be  doubttd.  Whether  this  regulation  wiQ 
be  convenient  to  the  united  (lates-^to  France— to  Spain— 
to  Portugal — to   Ruifia— to    Prulfia— whoj    exporting 
twenty  or  thirty  times  the  bulk  of  goods,  that  Greatt* 
Britain  (hips,  do  not  enjoy  a  part  of  the  carriage  for  fo- 
reign nations,  equal  to  what  flie  poflefles,.  is  a  queftioa 
ihofe  nations  are  feverally  to  confider  and  determine^ 
Fa£ts,  in  the  mean  time,  ar«  interefting.  In  the  year 
1772,  as  mr.  Andcrfon  informs,  the  imports  and  exports 
of  the  Baltic  were  made  in  6680  vefl^ls,  of  which  the 
Britiih  were  1*94,  the  French,  Spanifli,  Portuguefe,  an4 
Ruilian  only  45.  The  commodities  carried  thither  (in  ad* 
dition  to  their  ownimanufa£tures),were  the  produce  and  fa 
brics  of  all  the:  countries  of  Europe  and  of  tbe  £aft  and 
Weft^Indies,  which,  by  their  navigation  a6t,  could  not 
ha:re  been  imported  into  Great-Britain  in  like  manner. 
The  fame  may  be  faid  of  the  cargoes  they  brought  away> 
fo  far  as  they  were  carried  dwredWy  to  the  ports  of  other 
nations,  or  were  reihipt  from  their  own  ports  in  their  ori- 
ginal form.  The  fame  writer  ftates  the  Britifli  entries  in 
Lifbon,  in  the  year  1788,  to  have  been  351,  and  thofe 
of  Portugal,  in  her  own  metropolis  and  emporium,  to  have 
'been  only  283.  The  Spaniards  had  but  31,  the  Ruflians 
one,  the  Pruilians  one,  and  Dantzickers  one.  By  the  fame 
authority  we  are  inftruded,  that  the  Britifh  entries  in 
Malaga  in    1787,  were.  189,  the  Dutch  24,  the  Portu- 
guefe five,  the  Ruflians,  Pruilians,  and  Dantzickers,  none. 
In  the  year  1778,  the  Britifh  entries  in  Cronftadt,  the 
port  of  the  city  of  St.  Peterfburg,  were  252 ;  thofe  of 
Ruflia,  though  in  her  owncapital,  were  only  twelve,  of 
Spain   fix,  of  Portugal  two,  of  Hamburg  and  Bremen 
five.  In  the  year  1790,  the  Britifh  entries,  in  the  fame 
port,  were  517  out  of  932  :  and  we  have  recently  feen, 
that  the  Britifh  have  I'upplied  themfelves  and  the  other 
nations  of  Europe,  with  cargoes  of  our    commodities 
amounting  to  230,000  tons,  while  thofe  Europeans  carri- 
ed for  themfelves  no  more  than  onefixthof  the  quarthy. 
It  is  not  intended  fo  difcufs,  in  this  place,  the  policy  of 
adopting  fo  momentous  a  regulation  as  that  alluded  to, 
©bfervations  on  which  are  rendered  peculiarly  delicate  by 

F 


t     J4    3 

die  (Ituation  in  which  it  is  placed  by  the  national  legifla* 
cure.  The  inftance,  it  is  conceived,  however,  will  for- 
cibly inculcate  the  utility  of  the  examination  fuegefted  in 
the  beginning  of  this  paragraph,  and  will  lead  to  ufeful 
reflexions  on  the  confequences,  which  fuch  an  examina- 
tion may  induce.  The  fa^s,  by  which  it  is  illuftrated,  ap- 
peared too  ferions  and  important  to  Americans  and  to 
foreigners,  not  to  be  adduced.  It  will  be  perceived,  that 
it  is  equally  the  intereft  of  thofe  who  are  Endi/hmen,  to 
tonfider  the  eSe€cs  of  fuch  an  examination  of  the  Britifb 
trade  laws,  and  of  thofe  who  are  not.  Some  of  the  con- 
vi^ons,  which  fuch  an  enquiry^  made  with  judgment^ 
would  create  in  the  minds  of  candid  men,  would  proba« 
bly  be,  that  Great-Britain  cannot  make  her  ihips  the  car- 
riers for  the  united  ftates ;  and  that  rather  than  make  the 
attempt,  it  would  be  better  far  to  commence  the  forma« 
tion  of  liberal  arrangements,  folidly  founded  in  the  mifc 
tual  intereiU  of  the  two  nations. 


kiiiSiiitSt^  ■ 


.*.;,..•* 


THIRD     NUMBER. 


I 


N  the  profecution  of  this  examination^  our  attention 
is  drawn  to  the  ardcle  of 

FINE  AND  COARSE  HATS. 


The  writer  of  the  obfervations  remarks,  that  thie  high 
price  of  wo«l  and  labour  muft  induce  the  Americans  to 
import  the  felt  and  common  hats.  The  increafe  of  ouV 
population,  as  in  other  new  countries,  has  been  accom- 
panied by  an  increafe  of  the  quantity  of  wool.  Sheep 
have  been  found,  on  frequent  and  fair  experiments,  to 
be  very  profitable  to  the  farmer.  Importation,  though 
hitherto  cafual,  has  fupplied  us  with  fome  wool.  Hattert 
are  found  in  every  part  of  the  united  ftates.  The  follow- 
ing table,  which  was  contained  in  a  report  made  by  a  com- 
mittee to  the  manufaduring  fociety  of  Philadelphia,  will 
fhow  the  Aate  of  the  hatting  bufmefs  in  Pennfylvania, 
and  difcovers  a  fa£t  little  known  to  her  own  citizens,  that 
12,340  hats  are  annually  made  in  the  four  couQUes  bpr 
ypo4  the  Allegany  mQuntains*. 


■  w 


I  36  1 


Hatters. 

Fur  hats. 

WooHiatt, 

i  the  city  and  county  7 
of  Philadelphia,        ^ 

68 

31,637 

7,600 

Montgomery, 

10 

800 

1,000 

Delaware, 

14 

1,500 

4,000 

Weft-Chefter, 

-       14 

1,300 

4,000 

Lancafter, 

16 

3,000 

15,000 

Dauphin, 

10 

1,200 

4,000 

Bucks, 

12 

1,000 

1,000 

Berks, 

-        3^ 

2,200 

54,000 

York, 

26 

2,600 

go,ooo 

Cumberland,     - 

16 

1,300 

9,000 

Northumberland, 

ID 

700 

5,000 

Northampton, 

12 

1,000 

7,000 

Bedford,        -            • 

8 

800 

2,000 

Fi-anklin, 

10 

800 

2,000 

Luzerne, 

6 

400 

1,400 

Huntington,        y 

.      6 

1,400 

2,000 

Mifflin, 

J 

400 

2,000 

Weftmoreland*,    - 

10 

600 

gj^OOO 

Fayette*, 

7 

400 

1,540 

Allegany*,            - 

r         6 

400 

1,600 

Waihington*,            • 

10 

800 

.  4,000 

315 

54,237 

161,740 

From  this  return,  it  appears  that  every  county  in  thp 
ftate  participates  in  the  hatting  bufinefs,  thejre  being  nonjQ 
but  what  arc  in  the  above  liftf .  ' 

The  united  dates  are  found  to  contain  near  4,000,009 
inhabitants,  and  of  that  number  the  whites  are  conje^. 
|:ed  to  be  about  3,300,000.  If  a  hat  per  annum,  be  allow- 
ed for  every  third  perfon  of  thislafl  number,  i,ioo,ooq 
hats  per  annum,  would  be  a  fupply  for  the  united  ilates, 
and  the  above  215,000  made  in  a  fmgle  ftate,  may  be 
confidered  as  more  than  equal  in  value  to  one  fifth  of  the 
demand,  a  quarter  of  the  number  being  of  fur.  It  is  to  be 
remembered,  that  leathern  hats  and  fur  caps  are  not  rare. 
Jy  (ecu  in  the  interior  cpuntry.  This  branch  has  not 

i"  The  county  of  New.London,  in  ConneAicut,  contain^  feye|i^* 
twn  batters,  who  make  yearly  10,000  wool  and  fur  hats. 


^^^kJ& 


■'m 


i     37     3 

grown  up  fuddenly  in  America  *  but  was  commenced 
among  our  Hrft  manufaftures,  and  has  made  a  regular 
progrefs  with  the  population.  The  furs  of  the  country 
have  at  once  held  out  a  llrong  temptation  and  afibrded  the 
eafy  means.  Latterly,  the  increale  of  wool  has  given  a 
great  extenfion  to  the  manufacture.  The  practical  difficul- 
ties, fuggefted  by  lord  Sheffield,  can  gainJicile  credit  un- 
,der  fo  luccefsful  a  courfe  of  the  buiinefs  :  but  the  truth 
is,  that  few  handicrafts  are  more  quickly  acqpired  by  ap- 
jprentice^. 

BOOK     S, 

*'  All  fchool  and  common  books,"  in  the  opinion  of 
lord  Sheffield,  **  may  be  fent  cheaper  from  Britain,  than 
they  can  be  printed  in  America.''    The  great  and  con- 
ilant  increafe  of  paper  mills  in  the  united  itates,  the  ex- 
tendon  of  thofe  longeil  erected,  the  eftablifhni^ni  of  type 
founderies,  and  the  introduction  of  engravers  and  book- 
binders, have  made  a  greater  change  in  regard  to  tht  bu' 
finefs  of  book  printings  than  has  happened  with  refpeCt  to 
(jiny  other  equally  valuable  branch  of  manual  art.*  The 
Latin  and  Greek  fchool  books  are  imported  in  greater 
numbers  than  heretofore ;  becaufe  our  population  is  con- 
(iderably  increafed,  (ince  the  feparation  from  Great>Bri- 
tain,  and  the  ufe  of  them  is  too  limited  to  render  an  edi- 
tion profitable :  but  a  very  great  proportion  of  the  En- 
glilh  fcbool  books  (which  are  in  general  ufe)  are  printed 
here.  Of  fome  kinds  there  are  none  imported ;  and  fe- 
yeral  of  them,  with  alterations  and  improvements,  have 
been  publiihed.  A  number  of  the  law  books,  which  are 
mod  demanded,  have  been  reprinted  with  advantage :  and 
an  edition  of  the  Encyclopaedia,  in  fifteen  large  quartos, 
containing  about  5  per  cent,  more  matter  than  that  print- 
ed in  Qreat-Britain,  is  npw  publifhing  at  feventy  dollars, 


*  The  advertifement  of  a  tingle  book-ftore  in  Philadelphia,  pub. 
Uflied  in  the  gazettes  of  the  prefent  yeai'i  contaiiu  leventy  editions 
9f  di^erent  books  printed  in  the  united  ftatet^ 


ii  *ti 


^i-. 


w 


¥ 

n 


L  3«    ] 

#r  fifteen  guineas — precifely  the  price  charged  tofubfcrtb- 
ers  for  the  Briiiiheditioni  The  cuts  in  the  American  co- 
py are  equally  numerous,  and  are  really  the  beft. 

There  are  two  circutnftances,  which  will  eftabiifli  the 
book-printing  bufinefs  in  this  country — the  opportunity 
of  publilhing  immediately,  for  the  American  demand,  all 
books  in  every  European  language*,  within  the  term  of 
the  copy  right;  and  the  printing  of  moderate  l\zed  and 
plain  editions,  inflead.of  the  large,  ornamented,  and  ex- 
penfivc  copies  which  are  now  the  fafhion  in  Europe.  A 
fuperb  quarto,  on  the  beft  vellum  paper,  with  an  elegant, 
but  unneceflary  copperplate  frontifpiece,  richly  gilt  and 
Jeitcrcd,  (the  drel's  in  which  modern  writers  often  intro- 
duce their  works)  colls  more  than  is  agreeable  to  the 
people  of  this  country,  who  dcfire  valuable  matter  for 
their  money.  The  freight,  duties,  and  other  charges  of 
importation,  depending  either  on  the  bulk  or  value,  are 
very  much  enhanced  ;  and  our  printers  find  it  eafy  to 
Embrace  the  opportunity  which  thefe  cirumflances  af. 
ford  them,  to  furnifli  their  countrymen  with  a  cheap 
ot^vo,  and  fometimes  even  a  duodecimo,  in  it»  (lead. 

German  fcliool  books  are  much  demanded  in  this 
country,  as  may  be  fuppofed,  when  it  is  remembered 
how  numerous,  in  the  united  flates,  the  perfons  are,  who 
read  and  fpcak  that  language — probably  250,000  to 
180,000  of  our  people.  Thefe  books  are  either  im- 
ported from  Holland,  or  the  Hanfe  towns,  or  printed 
in  America.    England  fupplies  none  of  them. 

The  extenlion  of  the  French  language,  together  with 
the  intercourfe  between  the  united  (tates  and  that  nation, 
which  took  place  in  the  year  1776,  and  the  alliance  in 
1778,  with  which  it  was  followed,  will  naturally  be  fup- 
pofed to  have  increafed  the  demand  for  French  books. 
Thefe  are  principally  imported  from  France,  the  Hanfe 
towns,  Holland,  and  Flanders  ;  ;md  fome  few  are 
printed  in  America. 

♦  The  firft  premium  for  excellency  in  printing  wa«  adjudged 
by  the  Pennfylvania  manufafturing  focietjf  to  the  publifliers  of  « 
>ooj|c  in  the  Germatt  language,  in  the  inland  town  of  lencafter* 


7 


t     39    3 

Book*  in  tfiefe  two  languages  could  not  be  importedi 
before  the  revolution,  from  any  country,  except  Great 
Britain :  but  are  now  drawn,  as  above  mentioned^ 
from  other  foreign  fources,  or  the  American  printing 
prefles. 

That  the  Americans  vfili  in  future  give  a  prefereMce^rdri' 
iijh  manufa£iurej  before  all  others — that  it  will  he  a  long 
time  before  the  Amerieans  vtill  manufa^ure  for  them" 
fehes-'^nd  that  our  demand  for  Britijh  goods  will  in^ 
creafe  in  proportion  to  our  population. 

The  manufadures  of  Great  Britain  and  Irebnd  art 
yery  generally  good,  often  excellent,  and  almoft  always 
as  handfome   as  the  nature  of  the  article  will  admit. 
Vet,  there   are  not   wanting  proofs,  that  we  (hall  take 
conGderable  quantities  of  goods  from  other  countries. 
Twenty-two  (hips,  for   example,  arrived  in  the  united 
ftates  from  St.   Peterlburg,  in  the  year    1790,   with 
cordage,  ticking,  drillings,  diaper,  broad  linens,  narrovir 
linens,  printea  hnens,  cralh,    liheetings,    ravens  duck, 
Ruflia  duck,  nail  rods,  and  rolled  iron  for  hoops.    The 
remainder  of  their  cargoes  were  bar  iron,  hemp,  and  flax, 
which  were  intendea  to  be  manufa<^ured  here.    Nan- 
keens, filks,  long-cloths,  porcelain  and  fome  fmall  arti- 
cles, are  imported  regularly  from  China :  and  muflhis, 
plain,  ftripedf  figured^  and  printed,  with  filks,  and  a  va- 
riety of  other  articles,  are  imported  from  India.  It  being 
manifeftly  injurious  to  the  manufaduring  intered  of  eve- 
ry nation  in  Europe,  even  to  import,  and  much  more 
fo  to  confume  tbefe  goods,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that 
they  will  be  fupplied  to  us  in  the  £ail  Indies,  with  more 
readinefs  every  year  ;   and  if  a  few  more  callico  prin- 
ters were  to  eltablifh  themielves  among  us,  the  impor- 
tation of  printed  callicoes  and  cottons  might  be  exceed^ 
ingiy  diminiHied.  The  importation  alfoof  dowlas,  ozna- 
burghs,  ticklenburgs,  and  othe.  German  linens,  and  of 
Haerlem  ftripes,  and  tapes,  from  Bremen,  Hamburgh, 
and  Amfterdam,  together  with  the  manuf  tdlory  of  every 
ton  of  hemp,  and  almoft  f  very  ton  of  ilax,  which  we 


t   40   i 

failc  of  import,  has  very  much  afFe£led  the  Aritifh  ih^ 
Irilh  linen  trade.    It  appears  from   various   documents, 
that  the  avcr?gc  exports  of  their  manufa^ures  to  the  u^ 
nited  ftaies  for  feveral  years  prior  'to  the  year  1789; 
were  near  half  a  million  of  dollars  lefs  than  the  averagd 
exports  of  feveral  years  immediately  antecedent  to  the 
war,  though  our  population  has  probably  doubled  in  the 
lali:  twenty-five  years.    It  is  not  improbable,  however, 
that  the  great  quantities  of  goods  ftiipt  fiuce  1789,  in 
confequence  of  the  jealoufy  of  American  manufafiures, 
the  apprehenlions  of  a  rupture  with  Spain,  and  the  ef- 
forts of  the  Britidi  cotton  manutafturers  to  banifh  Eaft 
India  goods  from  our  markets,  would  fbow  a  confidera- 
ble  increafe  in   the  laft  and  prefent  years.     In  fhorr, 
the  united  ftates  are  an  open  market ;  the  American  mer- 
chants are  men  of  judgment  and  enterprife ;  and  con- 
fequently  the  goods  of  every  country  in  the  world,  which 
are  adapted  to  our  confumption,  are  found  in  our  ware- 
houfes.  It  is  certainly  true,  that  among  thetn  are  very 
large  quantities  of  BritiOi  raanufadures,  being  much  and 
julfly  approved,  and  being  imported  on  convenient  credits 
by  our  merchants,  and  copioufly  (hipped  by  Britifli  mer- 
chants and  manufadlurers  on  their  own  account,  to  their 
correfpondents  here.  If  properly  condudled  on  both  fides, 
it  may  yet  be  a  very  ben^ikial  trade  to  the  two  countries  ; 
but  it  has  not  excluded  the  valuable  goods  of  other  nations, 
nor  has  it  prevented  a  great  progrefs  of  our  own  manu- 
fadures,  particularly  in  the  family  way.  Cordage,  gun^ 
powder,  fteel,  nails,  paper,  paper-hangings,  books,  fta- 
tionary,  linfeed   oil,  carriages,    hats,  wool  and   cotton 
cards,  ftockings,  flioes,  boots,  fhot,  and  many  other  ar- 
ticles are  made  in  confiderable  quantities,  feme  of  them 
as  far  as  fifty  per  centum  on  the  demand,  and  others  in 
quantities  nearly  equal  to  the  confumption.  Liberal  wa- 
ges, and  cheap   and  excellent  living,  free  from  any  cx- 
cife,  except  a   very   fmall  one,  (compared  with  any  in 
Europe)  upon  fpiritous  liquors,  operate  daily  to  bring 
us   manufacturers  and  artizar  s  in  the  manual  branches  j 
and  we  are  beginning  to  fee  the  great,  and  to  us,  the 
peculiar  value  of  labour-faving  machines.  The  rate  of 


• 


t-4i    1 

namial  labour  is  no  obje^on  againfl:  them,   but    abfo 
lutdyin  thtir  favour;  for  it  is  clear,  that  they  yield  thr 
greateft  profit  in  countries  where   the  price  of  labou, 
18   the  higlie(t.    The  HrO  judicious  European  capita  lilU 
who  (hall  taice  good  fituations  in  the  united  dates,  and 
cdabliHi  manufa^ories,  by  labour- faving  machines,  mult 
Tapidly  and  certainly  make  fortunes.  They  cannot,  it  is 
prefumed,  be  long  infenfiblc  of  this;  but  if  they  fliould**" 
continue  fo,  the   appreciation  of  our  public  flocks  will 
probably  bring  fome  of  our  own   capitalids  into  the  bu« 
(inefs.  The  public  creditors,  the  owners  of  perhaps  if* 
teen    millions  fterling,  of  now  inadive   wealth,  n)ighc 
at  this  moment  do  much  towards  the  introdu<^lion  of  the 
cotton  mills,   wool  mills,  flax  mills,  and  other  valuable 
branches  of  machine  manufa^uring.  It  is  pail  a.  doubt, 
that  were  a  company  of  perfons  of  charader   and  judg- 
ment to  fubfcribe  a  flock  for  this  p urpofe,  of  500,000. 
dollars  in  the  public  paper,  they  might  obtain,  upon  a 
depodt  of  it,  a  loan  of  as  much   coin  from  ibme  foreign 
nation,  at  an  interefl  lefs  than  fix  per  cent.  Was  fucb  a 
company  to  be  incorporated,  to  have  its  flock  transfer- 
able as  in  a  bank,  to  receive   fubfcriptions  from  400 
dollars  upwards,   to  purchafe  500  or  1000  acres  of  land 
Avell  fituated  for  receiving  in:ported  materials  and  ex- 
porting their  fabrics — were  they  to  credl  works  in  the 
centre  of  fuch  a  body  of  land,  to  lay  out  their  grounds 
in  a  convenient  town-plat,  and  proceed  with  judgment 
and  fyllem  in  their  plan,  they  would  be  f ure  of  luccefs 
in  their  manufadories  ;  they    would  raife  a   valuable 
town  upon  their  land,   and  would  help  to  fupport  the 
value  of  the  public  debt*.    Were  a  few  eftabliihments  like 
that  defcribed  to   take   place  (and   there  are  room  and 
funds  for  many  of  them)   even    the  manufadlories  of 
piece  goods,  of  every  kind  in  which  machinery  could  be 
applied,    would    foon   be   introduced   with  profit  into 


i<2 


*  This  meafure,  which  was  in  contemplation  at  the  time  when 
thefe papers  were  wiitten,  has  been  fmce  digefted  and  commenced. 
The  capital  already  engaged  amounts  toiibove  250,000  dollars.  , 

G 


■^■' 


[    4»    I 

fhs  united  dates.  It  cannot,  on  cool  feflexioti,  be  t0t 
pelted,  that  a  country  remote  from  all  the  manufadhiring 
nations,  and  able  to  produce  the  requiGte  raw  materials, 
will  continue  to  depend  on  diftant  tranfmartne  fourceiy  for 
tbemafsoi  hernecefTaryrupplies.  The  wonderful  progreft 
of  othrr  nations,  which  have  commenced  manufadlures  un- 
der difadvantages  much  greater  than  any  we  have  to  con- 
tend with,  wiU  powerfully  incite  us  to  exertion.  Until 
the  year  1667,   a  piece  of  woolen  cloth  was  never  dyed 
and  drefTed  in  England.    This  great  manufa^re  was 
quickly  after  improved   by  the  ikiTl  of  foreign  emigrants, 
(a  mean  at  our  command) ;  and  fo  rapidly  has  the  woolen 
branch  advanced,  that  it  was  ellimated,  in  1783,  at  the 
immenfe  fum  of  /.  16,800,000  fterling  (above  fevcnty. 
four  millions  of  dollars)  per  aanum,  and  was  equal  in 
value  to  all  the  exports,  and  foperior  to  all  the  reve- 
nues of  Great  Britain      It  may,  perhaps,  be  afkcd,  why 
manufacturer  were  not  edabiifned    in   the  late  war  i 
Any  man,  who  makes  a  comparifon  of  a   variety  of 
branches  as  they  were  in    1774,  and  as  they  flood  in 
1782,  will  perceive  a  great  advance  to  have  taken  place, 
though  manufactures  were  little  encouraged,  through  the 
intermediate  eight  years,  Inrreafon  of  the  total  occupation 
of  government  in  the  profecution  of  the  war  :  their  im- 
portance moreover  was  not  duly  eflimated.  The  Britifh  ma- 
nufacturers, who  can  now  emigrate  with  the  greatefl  con- 
venience, then  viewed  the  people  of  this  country  as  ene- 
mies. Neither  they,  nor  the  people  of  other  nations  cared 
to  rifquethemfelves  in  an  invaded  country^  nor  would  they 
hazard  a  capture  in  their  pafTages  hither.  Notwithftanding 
tbefe  impediment.' ,  the  mauuraCtorers  of  the  united  flatet 
have  been  found  to  be  the  mofl  fuccefsful  competitors 
Avith  thofe  of  Great  Britain  in  the  American  market.  Ihey 
have  not  made  fine  linens,  fine  cloths,  filks,  fluffs,  and  other 
articles  requiring  a  great  degree  of  fkill,  labour,  or  capi. 
tal  ;  but  they  have  made  common  cloths  of  linen,  wool- 
en,  and  cotton,  fleel,  nails,  flieet  iron,  paper,  gunpowder, 
cabinet  work,  carriagesj  fhoes,  and  fabrics  of  the  fimple 
but  moil  important  kinds.   |^  Seefupplementar^  note,  com- 


t    43    i 

xtnisHg  the  progrefi  gnd  prefentftate  0/  American  dmejhe 
•r  houjehotd  mamfk£lures,  which  follows,  No.  VII. 

That  it  would  be  Impolitic  In  Great  Britain^  to  admit  Ame^ 
rican  veffils  into  her  t^ejt  India  iflands. 

This  is  a  very  momentous  queftion  to  Great  Britain ; 
and  therefore  whatever  may  be  the  real  merits  of  it,  the 
people  of  that  country  might  have  been  expe^ed  to  con- 
(ider  it  with  Hrft  imprefTions  unfavourable  to  the  admif. 
(Ion  of  foreigner^.  It  is  alfo  probable,  that  the  Americans 
may  have  taken  a  partial  view  of  ^he  fubjedl,  from  the 
interelt  they  have  to  obtain  a  participation  in  the  Britifh 
Weil  India  trade.  There  are  two  pcMlitions  of  lord  Shef. 
Held,  relativ*  to  this  fubjed,  which  appear  conformable 
with  truth  and  reafon,  and  in  which  it  is  of  gre.it  con- 
(equence,  that  we  fliould,  on  mature  reflexion,  agree. 
The  firft  is,  "  That  the  cult'wfition  of  the  Britifh  Wejt  In- 
diaijlands  might  he  carried  much  farther  than  it  it,**  which 
Jifc  f.ipports  by  obfervino;,  "  that  the  produce  of  the  ijland 
tf  Jamaica  might  be  trebled  at  leaji,**  The  fecond  is, 
**  That  the  nation  which  may  hereafter  be  in  poffeffion  of 
the  moft  extenjive  and  9eJ}-culiivatedfugar  ijlands,  will  take, 
the  lead  atfea.** 

If  the  firll  of  thefe  pofitions  be  true,  both  in  regard 
to  the  Britifh  Welt  Indies  in  general,  and  the  ifland  of 
Jamaica  in  particular,  then  it  becomes  a  matter  of  the 
utmoft  importance,  by  reafon  of  the  fecond  poOtion,  to 
adopt  the  belt  pollible  fyftem  for  promoting  the  cultiva- 
tion  of  the  vacant  lands  and  improved  eftates  in  the  fe- 
▼cral  iflands.  Perfons,  who  have  contended  -with  the 
difficulties  and  expenfes  of  fettling  new  plantations, 
and  who  are  acquainted  with  the  management  of 
Weft  India  eftates,  will  be  fenfiSle,  that  Aeap  fupplies 
of  building  materials,  and  other  neceffary  incipient  arti- 
cles, give  the  greateft  facility  and  certainty  to  thofe  who 
are  ftruggling  to  effeflt  a  new  fettlement :  and  keeping 
^ownthe  contingent  expenfes  of  planting  a^d  raifing 
produce,  and  of  packing  and  preparing  the  crop  for 
market,  is  manifcftljr  a  furc  mean  of  incrcafing  the  prot 


f    44    1 

lits  of  an  eftate.  In  this  point  of  lights  it  mud  be  ii^. 
meiTfely  againft  the  Britifli  Weft  India  producers  pf 
7,500,000  gallons  of  rum,  and  2,000,000  cwt.  of  fugars, 
with  cotton,  coffee,  piemento  and  other  articles,  that 
they  receive  their  (laves,  boards,  provifions,  and  other 
fupplies,  oh  terms  fo  much  higher  than  the  French,  the 
Dutch,  and  the  Danes.  While  the  iflands  of  France 
were  fiirniflied  in  th«  laft  year,  by  French  and  Ameri- 
can bottpms,  with  red  oak  hogfliead  ftaves,  at  12,  14^ 
and  16  dollars-. -with  hoops,  at  1410  iS  dollars — with 
pine  boards,  at  11  to  16  dollars*— with  Indian  meal,  at 
2|  to  31^  dollars  per  barrel— with  fhip  lo^ad,  at  3I  dol- 
lars, and  with  rice,  at  3  to  3|.  dollars  per  108  pounds  ; 
the  Britifli  planters  in  Jamaica  were  obliged  to  pay  for 
red  oak  hoglhead  ftaves,  24,  27,  and  ^i  dollars ;  fpir 
wooden  hoops,  27,  30,  and  36  dollars ;  for  pine  boards, 
24,  27,  and  30  dollars;  for  Indian  meal  4^  to  5^  dol- 
lars ;  for  (hip  bread  the  fame ;  and  for  rice  per  loo 
pounds  3y  to  51  dollars.  Let  condderate  men  deter- 
mine, whether  the  Britifli  colonial  agriculture  muft  not 
be  deprelTed,  and  that  of  the  French  be  exceedingly 
elevated,  under  fuch  circumftances.  It  is  plain  that  the 
latter  will  find  it  eafy  to  extend  their  plantations  into 
grounds  now  uncultivated,  if  the  Briti/li  planters  fhould 
be  able  to  endure  their  difadvantages.  In  conforqaity 
with  this  reafoning,  we  find  that  the  produce  of  French 
St.  Domingo,  Ihipt  to  Europe,  which,  before  the  late 
war,  isftated  by  lord  Sheffield  to  have  employed  no  more 
than  450  fhips,  was  fufiicient,  in  the  year  1788,  to  load 
for  France  580  ihips,  of  370^  tons  on  a  medium,  and 
1 10  of  740,  tons,  (exciufive  of  the  numerous  French  and 
foreign  veflels  employed  in  the  trade  with  Nertk  aild 
South  America,)  amounting  in  the  whole  to  296,431^ 
tons,  nearly  equal  to  one  third  of  the  private  (liips  of 
Britain.  The  whole  of  the  velTels  loaded  in  1787,  from 
all  the  Britifli  Weft  India  iflands  to  England  and  Scot, 
land,  amounted  to  but  132,222  tons.  In  1788  the  quan'. 
tity  was  the  fame,  and  as  the  writer  of  the  obfervation's 
admits  that  the  produce  of  Jamaica  was  before  the  wat 
two  thirds  in  value  (though  lefs  in  bulk}  of  that  of  Si 


i 


m 


I    45    1 


Poipingo,  the  Britifh  colonial  agriculture  muft  have  a  j. 
vanced,  if  *t  all,  in  a  much  lefs  degree  than  that  of  the 
French.  This  great  kicreafe  of  the  French  navigation, 
refulting  from  a  profperous  Weft  Indian  agriculture^  abtm- 
dantly  and  cheaply  fuppUedj  is  a  verification  of  the  predic- 
tion of  lord  Sheffield^  M'hich  was  mentioned  above,  an^ 
induces  the  moft  reafonable  doubts,  whether  it  would  bfs 
really  impolitic  in  Great  Britain  to  admit  American  vefi* 
fels  into  her  Weft  India  iflands.  As  it  is  of  great  impor- 
tance to  this  argument,  to  eftablifli  the  actual  increal'e  of 
the  French  produce  upon  ftronger  ground  than  even  tho 
higheft  proba||||lt:y,  it  may  be  ufeful  to  ftate,  that  the  fu* 
gars  exporti|i  from  St.  Domingo,  in  1786,  were  near 
133  millions «if  pounds;  in  1788,  near  163  millions  and 
an  half;  that  the  coifee  in  1786  was  about  51  millions  of 
pounds;  and,  on  the  average  of  1787   and  1788,  rear 
70  millions ;  and  that  the  cotton,  in  1786,  was  5,200,000 
pounds— and,  on  the  average  of  1787  and  1788,  above 
6,500,000  pounds — and  that  the  nielafies,  which  in  1786 
was  21,855  hhds.  was  increafed,  in  1788,  to  29>503. 

The  augmentation  of  the  French  veilels,  employed  from 

St.  Domingo  alone,  appears  to  be  equal  to  108,000  tons. 

If  the  whole  of  their  fugar  colonies  have  profpered  in 

the  fame  degree,  it  is  probable  their  acquifition  of  fhip- 

pi|^  may  be  fafely  eftimated  at  162,000  tons,   which  is 

47,000  tons  more  than  Iprd  Sheffield  fuppofes  to  Iiuve 

been  employed,  before   the  American   revolution,  be- 

'  tween  the  Britifh  fugar  iflands  and  all  the  American 

provinces,  and  is  very  far  beyond  the  tonnage  employed 

at  this  time  in  the  trade  of  thofe  iflands  with  the  united 

ftates.  The  Britifli  publications  reprefent  it  to  be  lefs  than 

'21,000  tons,  making  three  voyages  per  annum,  the  ag- 

gregate  entries  of  which  they  conlider  as  about  62^000 

:.>  tons. 

It  is  alleged,  that  American  veflels  cannot  be  admit- 
ted  without  oifence  to  other  countries :  but  that  has  uot 
been  found  an  objedion  to  the  admiflien  by  the  French. 
Nor,  if  the  regulation  were  properly  made,  would  th^ 
allies  of  England  have  any  caufe  of  complaint ;  for  they 
might  participate  in  the  trade,  if  they  could  find  advan* 


C    46    3 

in  fo  doing,  which  however  would  not  be  the  cafe. 
The  ihips  of  Ruflia,  of  Holland,  of  Great  Britain,  of 
Spain,  of  Portugal,  of  the  iinited  flates,  and  of  all  other 
foreign  countries,  may  enter  the  French  iflands  with  the 
6me  kinds  of  goods,  even  American  articles.  The  £n- 
UJifh,  indeed,  would  be  much  moreproleded  in  the  ifland 
trade  than  the  Fi*ench ;  becaufe  by  other  claul'es  in  their 
laws,  the  goods  brought  by  each  flag  muft  be  its  own  na- 
tional produ<^ions. 

It  may  be  argued  that  the  Americans  would  take   a 
brge  proportion  of  the  carriage  to  the  Britith  iflands : 
but  this,  if  trje,  is  the  ftrongeft  proof,  t^t  can  be  ad- 
c&iced,  of  the  expediency  of  the  raeafure,  afi^lcutated  to 
promote  the  colonial  agriculture,  and  thus  illd  and  fup- 
port  the  navy  of  Great  Britain.    France,  it  it  feA,  by 
^tte  mode  propofed,  has  added  mach  more  to  her  Hiip* 
fing,  in  the  trade  of  a  finale  ifland,  than  England  en- 
joys in  the  monopoly  of  the  intercourfe  with  all  her  iflands, 
lay  the  mode  (he  purCues.The  Brinfli  (hipping,  toe,  if  our» 
were  admitted,  would  certainly  maintsun  themfelves  in  a 
confiderable  portion  ef  the  trade :  and  in  proof  of  this, 
tt  may  be  obierved,  that  the  French  employ  of  their 
own  veiTels  in  theu:  Weft  India  trade  from  this  coun- 
try, near  two  thirds  of  the  tonnage,  that  is  engaged  in 
theircommerce  between  thefe  ftates  and  the  kingdom||f 
France.  It  is  material  to  obfente,  that  in  the  intercourfe 
lietween  the  French  iflands  and  the  united  ftates,  theton> 
n.fge  of  the  Brinfh,  Dutch,  Spanifli,  Danes,  Swedes,  and 
Fortuguefe,  does  not  amount  to   two  per  cent,  upon 
the  wnoie  of  the  veflels  employed. 

That  k  would  be  better  for  Britain  to  give  up  the  iflands  than 
their  carrying  trade. 

As  the  arguments  adduced  by  loril  Sheffield,  relate 
only  to  the  carrying  trade  between  the  united  dates  and 
the  Briti(h  Wefl;  India  iflands,  tiie  obfervations  will 
proceed  on  the  fame  ground.  The  whole  freight  be- 
tween  the  two  countries  prior  to  the  war,  he  eltimates 
at/.a45,ooOf  rather  thau  lofe  whicbi  he  thinks  it  better 


■■1?'- 


l^' 


■^«' 


t    47    3 


to  give  op  thofe  valuable  ifbmds^  the  produce  %liei«d( 
according  to  various  eftimations,  it  worth  three  or  foot 
milUonsilerling,  and  whofe  inhabitants  arc  very  free  am* 
fuiners  of  Britifh  maliufadhires.  A  M^dent  adminilfan* 
tion  (hould  beware  of  a  writer,  whoSMve*  himfelf  (y 
too  ardently  maintaining  a  favourite  hy]mneiis.  Butai«- 
linquifliment  of  the  firade,  on  the  part  of  Great  Britain^ 
is  notdefired ;  nor  cfan  a  lofs  of  it  be  fuppofed  to  foUoir 
the  admiflion  of  our  veflels  to  a  participation  in  it.  Ifac 
ihips  always  employed  in  the  circuitous  voyage  wouM 
ftill  continue  to  purfue  it ;  thofe  belonging  to  the  Weft 
Indians  themi)plves,  the  Bahamans,  the  Berniudian% 
and  the  northern  Britifli  colonies,  would  fiiU  «njoy  a 
large  propdrtton :  the  remainder  would  be  done  by  die 
Americans,  who  now  fuffer  the  BritiOi  nation  to  empleya 
large  quantity  of  tonnage  in  imports  from,  and  exports 
to  foreign  countries,  other  than  firitiih,  without  any  Wf 
ciprocation. 

That  the  /hippifig  Great  B'  v«    rains,hy  exdutTmg  Otf 
Americans fWUt  tte  at  hand* 

Lord  Sheffield  undertakes  to  fay,  that  the  navigatMMi 
of  thofe  provinces,  which  are  now  the  united  ftates^ 
operated  as  a  drain  of  Britiih  feamen  ;  and  conveys  m 
idea,  that  the  failors  employed  here,  were  of  no  ufe  tm 
Britain.  The  prompt  manning  of  theic^  fliips  on  this 
ftation^  the  cheap  and  certain  fupply  of  Iheilr  Weft  In- 
dies, in  the  war  of  1755  to  1762,  the  diftrefs  tothe 
French  and  Spariifli  trade  by  American  privateeil|£itii9 
affair  of  cape  Breton,  the  great  exportation  of  pria« 
goods  from  this  country,  and  other  weighty  fadls,  might 
be  adduced  to  prove  this  not  the  fmalleft  of  his  errors. 
Airnming  that  we  were  too  remote  to  be  of  any  ufe  ia 
time  of  war,  he  proceeds  to  aconcluiion,  that  the  iiavi* 
gation  employed  in  the  fupply  of  the  iflands,  will  be 
nereafter  nearer  home,  inferring  that  it  will  belong 
to  the  merchants  of  their  European  dominions.  Tlii» 
pay  be  in  a  great  degree  the  cal'e,  as*to  ciie  fugar 


.,^.i, 


t    4t    1 

Alps,  whic^  make  the  circuitous  voyage  from  Europe  t« 
the  united  ftates,  the  Weft  v  Indies  and  Euro^;  and  it 
was  equally  fo,  as  to  that  defcriptipn  of  traders^  before 
the  rcvolutidn  ^Jpt  the  direft  intercourfe (between  thefe 
ftates  and  the  iPifli  Weft  India  iflan^,  firom  which  we 
arc  excluded,  muft,  from  the  nature  of  the  trade,  be 
carried  on  principally  in  veflc|s  owned  in  thofe  iflands, 
whole  fituation  is  n^ore  remote  than  ours,  and  by  Britifli 
fubjeds  rejiding  in  our  ports,  Bennudians,  and  the  peo- 
ple of  the  northern  Britiih  colonies,  all  of  whom  are  a^ 
diftantaswie. 

77:01  Jmerta  could  nrter  be  united  t^ain, 

Was    a  fettled  opinion  of  the  writer    of  the  ob- 
fervatibns.    He  did  not  perceive  that    accident,  prin- 
cipally, had  caft  us  into  the  form  of  thirteen  ftates.  It 
is  true,  that  the  extreme  injuries  of  difunion  were  not 
Hienerally  foreign  by  many  of  our  own  citizens.  The 
"utility — the   jajSeflity  of    ftrengthening    the    national 
government,  had  not  come  home,  as  it  has  fmce  done, 
to  the  minds  of  the  American  people,  ^any  of  their 
friends,  however,  faw  with  regret,  and  fome  of  thofe 
who  were  not  their  friends,  perceived  with  a  fatisfadion 
not  the  moft  honourable,  that  the  profpe£ts  of  indivi- 
dual  happinefs,  and  of  national  profperity,  had  ceafed 
to  be  fair.  The  moft  miferable  ill,  that  can  afflid  the 
political    body,    the   want  of  a  ft   wganizationy  had 
brought  on  alarming  convuluons;  and  there  were  no 
evils  which   were    not  to  be  apprehended,    unlefs   a 
change  of  fyftem  could  be  effe^ed.  In  this  moment, 
the  friends  of  order  came  forth.  The  jarring  interefts, 
ou  the  elfe£ls  of  which  the  writer  relies,  were  made 
to  harmonize.  The    difference    of  "  manners,  of  cli- 
mates, and  of  ftaples,'*  did  not  intervene,  according  to 
his  expe^ations,  as  infurmountable  obftacles  to   amity 
and   union.  That  hearty   co-operation,   the    hope    of 
which   is  treated    as    prepofterous,  has  actually   taken 
place:  and  tfte   American  people  now  univerfally  per- 
ceive>  <<  that  whatever  meafures  have  a  tendency  t« 


M 


t    49    3 

dtiTolve  the  union,  or  contribute  to  violate  or  lelTeu  the 
fovereign  authority,  ought  to  be  coiilidered  as  hoitile  to 
tkeir  liberty  and  independency/' 

It  remains,  then,  for  thofe,  who  have  believed  in 
thefe  predictions  of  ruinous  contentions  among  the 
people,  and  an  enfeebling  difcord  in  the  councils  of  th« 
united  ftates,  to  confider,  in  fo  different  a  courfe  of 
things,  the  condutH:  which  ought  to  be  obferved :  and 
for  us  it  remains  fteadily  toprocee''  in  the  good  work  of 
rejforing  zxid  firmly  fecuring  public  order,  as  the  certain 
9nd  only  means  of  private  and  public  happinefs. 


H 


#■ 


% 


•V 


r  O  U  R  T  H    N  U  M  B  E  R, 


■'». 


** 


^T^HE  article,  which  next  prefents  itfelf,  is  that 
NAVAL    STORES. 

It  appears  to  lord  Sheffield,  that  RulFia  will  interfere 
much  with  the  American  itaies,  in  the  iupi^ly  oi  liiefe 
commodities.  The  quantities  exported,  agreeably  to  ta$ 
table  for  1771,  and  our  returu  in  1791,  appear  10  Have 
been, 

In  1771.   Barrels, 
•f  pitch,  9j'44 

tar,  82,075 

turpentine,  17,014 

refm  223  }■ 

fpirits  of  tur- 
pentine,       41 

Total       108,497  J 


85,067 
worth  then    28,3*0 
156,000  316 

doUars* 

l93 


Barrels.  1  In  the  re* 
8,875  '  "'«'"'»    /^ 


13*  mo. 

.worth  now 

5^' 7,045 
aoiiars.^ 


iihy77} 

From  this  increafe  of  value,  it  appears,  that  the  united 
dates  have  not  fuffered  from  the  competitidii,  of  Ruilia, 
or  any  other  country;  but  that  in  tliis  article,  like  moli: 
tthersj  W6  experience  the  advantage  ot  being  an  opm 


per  ,S 


i 


t  Si  3 

tnarket,  free  from  the  Britifli  monopoly,  which  exified 
before  the  revolution.  In  addiiion  to  this  large  export- 
ation, confiderable  quantities  have  been  confumed,  in 
manufadures  which  have  been  introduced  or  extended 
iince  the  year  1771  :  and  a  very  hirgc  quantity  has  been 
purcliafed  for  the  repairs  and  ilores  of  770,000  tout  of 
veflcls,  of  various  nations,  employed  in  the  foreign  tradjC, 
the  coading  trade,  and  the  fi(heries,  and  in  the  building 
of  (hips,  which  greatly  exceed  ihc  number  built  on  a 
medium  of  1769  to  177 1. 

POT  AND  PEARL  ASHES.      - 

THESE  articles,  lord  Sheffield  ventures  to  affirm, 
can  be  made  to  greater  advantage  in  Canada  and  Nova 
Scotia,  than  eliewhere  in  America,  on  account  of  the 
plenty  of  wood,  and  owing  to  the  great  quantity  of  fuel 
rconfumed  in  a  long  and  fevere  winter.  It  is  well  know  n> 
that  the  people  of  this  continent  do  not  attempt  to  make 
thefe  falts  out  of  any  of  the  terebinthine  woods*,  (though 
it  is  faid  to  be  pra^iiisd  in  the  north  of  Europe,)  and  that 
(the  growth  of  trees  in  the  remaining  Britiih  cdonies,  is 
principally  of  thofc  kinds.  Abundant  proof  that  they 
have  little  oak,  is  derived  from  the  fmall  quantity  oS 
ilaves,  heading,  oak  timber,  and  oak  planks,  which  they 
export,  and  f^om  the  quantities  of  them,  which  they 
import  from  the  united  flates.  But  had  they  the  proper 
kinds  of  fuel,  that  would  not  be  fufficient ;  for  a  certain 
degree  of  population  is  necelTary  to  this  manufacture. 
The  number  of 'people  in  the  whole  of  the  northern  Britifli 
colonies,  is  perhaps  160,000  or  1 80,000,  while  the  united 
iftates  have  more  than  twenty  times  their  number,  of 
>whom  two-th%ds  inhabit  fcenes  much  more  abundant 
in  wood  and  timber  than  Canada  and  Nova  Scotia. 
Their  cudoni  houie  books  will  iliow  what  pot  afli  tbofe 
^colonies  export.  Although  our  writer  fuppofes,  that  the 


f   •  The  barks  of  hemlock,  pine,  fir,  and  latrch,  are  fjii^  ^  ^9 
ytry  pro4uftiyc  of  pgta,flti» 


'■^d:-.' 


'^J 


C    53    3 

united  dates  wUl  yield  lefs  than  they  have  icretofare  dim^ 
we  iind,  that  the  return  of  the  treafury  exhibited  the 
great  quantity  of  8,568  tons,  though  the  export,  on  th« 
medium  of  1768,  1769,  and  1770,  was  only  200,8  toni^ 
and  5  cwt. 

In  treating  of  pot-afli,  lord  Sheffield  takes  occaCion  to 
digrefs  to  the  article  of  coal,  and  obferves,  that  to  cn- 
courace  the  Britilh  collieries,  and  carrying  trade,  they 
ihould  prevent  the  getting  of  coal  on  the  ifland  of  Cape 

.  Breton.  It  was  among  the  difadvantages,  which,  it  uaf 
alleged,  the  united  dates  would  fuftain  by  the  fepara* 
tion  from  Great  Britain,  that  the  collieries  of  Cape  Bre. 
ton  were  to  be  particularly  barred  againil  them.  This^ 
like  many  other  evils,  which  were  apprehended,  has  va.- 
niftied  on  a  recurrence  to  the  reiburces  of  the  countiy. 
The  collieries  on  James  river  will  not  only  abundantly 
ibpply  the  extenfive  territory  watered  by  the  rivers  of  tht 

;i^  Cheiapeak  and  by  that  J^ay  itfelf ;  but  they  proroife  to 
ififord  a  very  valuable  nurfery  for  feanien  in  the  tranf- 

~  portation  of  their  contents  to  all  the  fea-pcrts  of  the 
united  ftates.  They  already  furniOi  coal  on  terms  much 
lower  than  the  mminium  of  the  Hrii  cofl:  and  charges  |of 
importation  :  and  as  labour  is  declining  in  price,  and  ^ 
ihort  water  communication,  between  the  mines  and  the 
Shipping  place,  is  nearly  completed,  there  is  no  doubt 
that  foreign  coal  will  be  rendered  a  very  loiing  commo* 
dity,  and  thait  it  mull  finally  be  excluded  from  our  mar? 
kets.  The  interior  country  is  plentifully  fupplied  by  9»m 
tore  with  this  valuable  fofiil. 

HORSES, 

Lord  Sheffield  treats  of  this  article  with  great  ingenur 
ity.  He  railes  expectations  in  the  government  and  pecv> 
pie  of  Great  Britain,  that  the  Weft  Indies  may  draw 
fupplies  of  thefe  ulefd animals  from  Canada,  and  confiderf 
Nova  Scotia  as  having  greatly  the  advantage  of  Canada 
and  the  united  ftates  in  her  capacity  for  the  exportation  of 
them.  It  is  ftated  as  certain,  that  a  trade  for  horfes  will 
be  carried  on  by  that  province.    The  diftance  of  Crea^ 


I    ! 


C    54    ] 

Britarn  and  Ireland  do  not  appear  to  reft  rain  his  (an« 
guiiie  hopes,  that  horfes  may  be  Ihipt  to  the  W  efl  Jnciies 
worn  thofe  tvro  countries.  Ke  proceeds  further,  and  iug* 
gelts  the  fupply  of  the  probable  deficiency  of  hories  witl;^ 
mules  from  Barbary,  from  whence  they  are  to  be  ob« 
tained  in  abundance,  (thoiigh  at  a  high  price)  and  from 
Porto  Rico  and  the  MiiriilTppi,  In  fliort,  knowing  the 
imponance  of  horfes  to  the  Weft  India  planters,  he  tal^ei 
great  pains  to  Ihew,  that  they  may  reiinqui/h,  without 
inconvenience,  the  cheap  and  certain  fupphes  which  they 
formerly  enjoyed,  and  which  the  French.  Panes,  and 
Dutch  now  enjoy  by  means  of  deep-wailted  American 
vefTels,  manned  by  perfons  accuilomed  to  the  bufmels. 

There  is,  perhaps,  no  article,  in  proportion  to  the  va- 
lue, in  which  the  Dritifh  iflands  fufier  more  deeply   by 
the  prefent  footing  of  their  intercourfe  with  thele  llates^ 
than  in  chat  of  which  we  are  now  treating.  1  his  country 
is  particularly  fitted  for  the  railing  of  horfes,  and  afibrd* 
them  in  very  increafed  numbers.    The  exportation  •£ 
them  in  the  year  1 770,  which  was  entirely  to  the  Weft 
India  iflands,  was,  by  lord  She^eld's  tables,  6,6f  2 ;  and 
the  exportation  of  them  by  the  treafury  return,  already 
fefierred  to,  was  8,628,  bcfides  237  inples,  The  laft  arti- 
cle has   been  added   to  the  lift  of  exports,  fmce  the 
year  1770,  and  promifes  to  become  very  confiderable, 
though  mules  have  not  a  place  in  lord   Sheffield's  book 
among  the  iupplies  which  may  be  derived  from  the  uni- 
ted  ftates.    The  Britifh  Weft  India  iflands  are  ftated  to 
have  taken  off,  before  the  revolution,  two  fifths  of  the 
above  number,  or  2/S76  horfes;  but  it  appears  by  the 
late  return,  that  there  were  fhipt  thither,   in   thirteen 
months  and  a  half,  no  more  than  nine  hundred  and  fix- 
teen  horfes  and  mules ;  from  which  it  is  manifeft,  that  the 
prefent  mode  of  carrying  on  the  trade  deprives  them  of 
above  two  thirds  of  their  former  fupply  of  thefe  ani« 
mals,  which  are  admitted  in  the  obfervations,  to  be  '*  ejl 
fentially  neceffary.**  The  price  of  thofe  they  do  obtain^ 
»}uft  of  courfe  be  much  enhanced  by  an  unfatisfied  de- 
ftiand  three  fold^^reater  than  the  imporution^  and  by  the 


r  55  3 

•scpenfe  of  conveying  them  in  Britfli  fliips,  which,  belnjf 
very  generally  in  the  doubIe*tlecked  form,  are  dangerous 
for  the  tranfportation  of  horfes  on  ileck,  and  carry  them 
at  an  nn  nenle  freight  in  the  hold.  Here  is  another  ve« 
ry  injurious  inftance,  of  deprefling  the  Weft  India  agri- 
culture.  The  cafe  with  the  Dutch  is  very  diiferent. 
Their  fugar  colonies,  though  much  lefs  poprlous  than 
thofe  oi  Great  Britain,  received  in  the  above  term, 
about  feven  hundred  and  (ixty  horfes  and  mules.  Tho 
French,  as  in  regard  to  the  other  articles  of  neceflary 
fupplies,  not  produced  by  their  own  dominions,  receive 
thefe  animals,  without  impediment,  in  our  veflels,  and  then: 
o^n,  indifcriminately.  The  precife  number,  which  was 
ihipt  to  their  iflands,  before  the  revolution,  is  not  afcer« 
tained  t  but,  as  lord  Sheffield  alleges,  that  the  whole  num- 
ber exported  to  the  foreign  fugar  colonies  was,  in  1 770, 
about  4.015,  fome  part  of  whith  the  Dutch  and  Danes 
received — and  as  it  appears  by  the  late  return,  that  about 
7,000  horliss  and  mules  were  fhipttothe  French  fugar 
plantations,  during  its  term,  it  is  manifeft,  that  they  have 
increafed  their  imix>rtations  to,  90,  or  100  per  cent.  It 
is  unneceffary  to  reiterate  here,  that  they  will  receive 
proportionate  advantages  in  their  colonial  agriculture, 
(and  tottie  fhips  emploved  in  tranfporting  its  produce) 
from  fo  capital  an  addition  to  one  of  their  molt  ufeful 
fupplies. 

Th(U  **  France  vuW  not/uffer  America  /•  fippfy  her  wtb 

JfJlpS,** 

IS  contradicted  by  thefadt*.  That  kingdom  by  ^eje£^♦ 
ing  American  velTeis,  would  have  fo  far  lacriticed  her 
c  irrying  trade  to  the  manufailure  of  fliips.  She  wiiel/ 


•  Immediiieiy  •fter  the  firft  publication  of  this  paper,  the 
French  I  egulatioit,  confining  their  flag  to  native  fhips,  wat  receiv- 
evl  in  A'nerica.  What  >vill  be  found  umier  this  head,  which  was 
v^iitten  befoe  the  re"  uion  was  knowOi  may  iwve  a*  a  finccre 
«0uuncut  on  thik  new  teftjriilion* 


'3t- 


Hi 


iHP^VH 


!  *«.• 


t     56    1     ' 

furcfiafei,  vtpoti  the  chcapcft  tema,*th  craSks  for  lier 
marine  nuriery.  The  Hrtt  and  great  ohje<^  of  the  mari- 
lime  powers  oucht  to  be,  the  increafe  of  the  number  of 
fheir  faihrs,  which  is  beft  done  by  multiplying  their 
chances  of  employment.  Among  the  means  of  doing  this^ 
one  of  the  moil  obvious  and  rational  is,  the  tmltifSctrtim 
•/  veJfeUJTht  French-built  (hips  coft  from  55  to  60  del- 
lars  per  ton,  when  fitted  to  receive  i  cargo,  and  exclu* 
fively  of  Tea  (lores,  infurance,  the  charges  of  lading, 
outward  pilotage,  and  other  expenfes  inadental  to  the 
employment,  and  not  to  the  building  and  outfit  of  a  veflei. 
Tlie  American  live-oak  and  cedar  iliips,  to  which  none 
are  fuperior,  coft  in  the  fame  fituation,  from  33  to  35 
dollars,  fiuifhed  very  coTnpletely.  If  the  French  require 
10,000  tons  of  new  vdfels,  on  any  occafion,  or  in  any 
term  of  time,  they  may  be  procured  in  the  united  ftates, 
on  a  computation  of  the  medium  price  of  34  dollars 
per  ton,  for  the  fum  of  340,000  dollars :  but,  if  bought 
at  55  dollars,  the  lowcft  price  in  France,  they  would  coft 
the  much  greater  fum  of  550,000  dollars.  No  argument 
is  neceflary  to  Hiow,  that  fuch  a  nation,  caterts  paribus, 
muft  produce  feamen  more  rapidly,  than  thofe  v/ho  re* 
fufe  thefe  cheap  veifels. 

It  would  appear  much  lefs  unreafonable,  that  the  go- 
veniraent  of  the  united  ftates  fhould  prohibit  the  fale  of 
Ihips,  {the  means  of  obtaining  naval /irength,)  to  foreign  na- 
tions, than  that  any  of  them  fhould  rejed  the  great  advan- 
tage of  .0  cheap  and  excellent  a  fupply.  And  fhould  the 
French,  Britilh,  and  other  fweign  nations  continue  to 
deciins  the  purchafe  of  American-built  Ihips,  there  can 
be  no  doubt,  that  we  Ihall  take  a  greater  portion  of  the 
carrying  trade  i(x  ourfelves  and  Other  countries,  from  that 
cau^. 

That  the  navigation  a^gave,  and  that  an  adherence  to  it, 
luiilfecure  to  Great  Britain  the  commerce  of  the  world, 

THERE  isnodoubit,  that  Great  Britain  has  hereto* 


4 


ir  J 


fore  ob^ined,  in  proportion  to  tlie  number  of  iti  people^ 
1  very  great  (hare  of  trade  both  foreign  and  inter* 
nal.  JSut  the  value  of  her  imports  in  1774,  was  not 
ten  per  cent,  mwe  than  that  of  the  imports  of  France. 
H(41and*  had,  at  the  fame  time,  a  very  great  trade ;  as 
had  feveral  other  countrtft  in  Europe.  It  would  have 
been  beyon^i  the  truth,  if  lord  Sheffield  had  faid  that 
BritfuaiHTd  a  fifth  <<  of  the  commerce  of  the  world/'  h 
may  appear,  at  firft  view,  of  little  ufe,  and  even  invi- 
dious, to  notice  this  remark:  but  it  is  realty  of  imptrtanee 
fo  a  reajhnabie  and  accurate  efthnation  of  tImigSf  to  cwre£i 
Juch  extrav^ancies,  Thefe  hyperbolical  expreflions  tend 
to  miflead.  They  occafion  a  people  erroneoufly  to  fup» 
pofe,  they  have  the  world  at  their  command,  and  ren- 
der  the  moft  falutary  and  reafonable  arrangements  more 
difficult  than  they  ought  to  be.  They  alfo  help  to  fwell 
the  popular  torrent  againft  a  clear-Hghted,  honeft,  and 
candid  minifter,  who  may  attempt  meafures,  fit  in  them* 
felves,  and  even  neceffary  to  the  national  interefts. 

But  whatever  may  have  been  the  trUth  of  the  afler- 
tion,  that  Great  Britain  heretofore  engrofled  the  com* 
merce  of  the  world,  a  different  courfe  of  things  has  ta- 
ken place,  and  is  to  be  expelled  hereafter,  with  regard 
to  her  and  every  other  country.  It  is  manifeit,  that  a 
prodigious,  and  almoft  univerfal  revolution  in  the  views 
of  nations,  with  regard  to  the  carrying  trade,  has  taken 
place.  The  extenfion  of  the  fpirit  of  ccMnmerce  and  the 
confequent  inclination  and  capacity  for  naval  power,  have 
occafioned  this  change.  The  jealoufy  of  trade,  which 
gave  birth  to  the  Britifh  navigation  ad,  is  now  felt  at 
well  by  the  fovereigns,  as  by  the  citizens,  of  every  coun- 
try in  Europe.  They  have  become  fcnfible,  that  com- 
merce is  at  once  a  great  fource  of  private  wealth  and  of 
national  power..  Ine  general  prevalence  of  thefe  viewif! 
is  daily  producing  commercial  regulations^  (injurious  of- 


*^r.  Eden  ftated,fince  the  American  war,  that  the  exports  an4 
imports  of  Holland,  in  foreign  goods  only,  wers  it,ooo,eool;( 
iwling, 


:m 


t    5«    1 

f^H  to  the  country  making  them)  intended  t«  fecnre  t# 
the  citizens  of  each  nation  thck  benefits,  which  vtert 
formerly  enjoyed  by  the  carrying  and  roanufa^rine 
fiates.  Thofe,  who  have  heretofore  enjoyed  the  trade  of 
6ther  countries,  and  in  a  yery  extenfive  degree,  muftne- 
ceflarily  be  die  firfl  to  feel  the  inconveniencies  of  this 
change  of  meafures :  and  they  muft  eventually  esqperienct 
them  in  proportion  to  their  former  advantages.  The  pri« 
irate  (hipping  of  the  Hanfe  towns  and  of  the  united  Ne- 
therlands, have  already  felt  the  confequences  of  thefe 
views.  Tliofe  traders,  indeed,  misht  once  have  almoA 
claimed  the  commerce  of  the  world.  There  is  confide-^ 
Table  danger,  however,  that  this  anxlons  dellre  ci  trade 
may  occation  fome  of  the  maritime  nations  to  give  to» 
free  and  ftrong  operation  to  principles,  which  are  not  ex** 
ceptionable  in  the  prefent  (late  of  things,  if  prc^rly  di« 
9e£i;ed  and  retrained  ;  for  it  is  manifeft,  that  countriet 
with  a  great  agdcultural  intereft,  will  err  exceedingly  in 
purfuing;,  as  far  as  pofTible,  meafures,  which  may  not  be 
found  inconvenient  to  nations  oppofitely  circomftanced. 

With  refpe£t  to  Great  Britain,  the  objed  of  her  na» 
ligation  a£t  was  to  expel  the  Dutch  from  her  cari^Hi^ 
trade,  and  tbns  to  decreafe  the  ability  of  her  rivaki  to 
maintain  and  fiiddenly  to  increafe  their  navy.  Situated 
as  things  then  were,  the  Britifli  were  probably  right,  as 
to  the  object  in  view :  aid  from  the  ittfei^biUty  of  Europe 
to  the  nature  and  operation  of  the  Ef^Iifi  marine  code,  they 
gained  incidentally,  and  for  a  lone  time,  immenfe  advan« 
tages  in.  the  commerce  of  other  ftates,  for  which  they 
originally  did  not  look.  Thisjhuation  of  things  is  now  tho<* 
roughly  underftood.  The  (hippmg  of  Britain  in  confequence 
will  hereafter  find  rivals  in  the  private  vefifels  of  feveral  for* 
cign  conntries,  and  there  appears  the  utmdft  improbability, 
that  (he  can  continue  to  retain  any  f^raordinary  (hare 
of  the  carrying  trade  for  other  fiatidns.  The  tenure  of 
It  is  manifeftly  in  the  greateft  degree  precarious ;  be- 
caufe  it  abfolutely  depends  tm  the  laws  of  other  coun- 
tries, and  on  the  continuance  of  inattention  in  their  com- 
Siercial  citizens. 

The  value  of  the  carryiii^  trade^  it  may  alfo  be  ob« 


¥-'■ 


TIT 


J. 


w^ 


r  59  1 

ferVed,  Is  very  materially  altered.  Ihilead  of  being,  at 
fbrmerly,  a  profitable  monopoly  (if  we  may  fo  fpeak)  in 
the  hands  or  two  nations,  it  is  now  diffiiTed  among  ten 
or  twelve.  The  great  advaatages,  too,  which  accrued 
to  Britain  irom  cheap  proviHons— fuperior  and  cheap 
{hips— and  low  wages  to  feamen,  are  now  loft.  Bread 
and  meat,  from  the  increafe  of  manufadhirers,  are  im« 
ported  into  that  iQand— wages  have  confiderably  advan* 
ced,  if  we  take  into  the  calculation  the  great  fiihing  boun- 
ties—the expenfes  of  (hip  building  have  increafed— the 
French*  are  admitted  to  have  obtained  the  pre-eminence 
in  naval  architecture,  and  it  aj^pears,  from  a  minute  return, 
exhibited  in  Anderfon's  commerce,  that  the  oak  timber 
of  Great  Britain,  in  forty  years  preceding  1771,  hadde* 
creafed  nine  tenths ;  and  that  it  had  advanced  in  price 
above  40  per  cent,  in  the  courfe  of  the  nineteen  antece*. 
dent  years.  It  will  not  be  forgotten,  that  the  expends* 
Cure  of  twenty  years,  including  a  naval  war,  in  which  an 
unparalleled  number  of  (hips  was  built^  has  fince  occurred 
further  to>»exhauft  their  itock  of  (hip  timber.  Nor  ihould 
it  be  overlooked,  that  vaft  demands  were  made  for  thi* 
article  to  replace  the  private  (hipping  which  were  loft  t« 
the  Britifh  nation  by  the  American  revolution.  The  con- 
fumption  of  ihip  timber  from  1774  to  1785,  appears, 
from  the  papers  of  the  Britifli  fociety  for  naval  archi* 
tedture,  to  have  been  three  times  as  great  as  in  any  equal 
tvrm  before. 

The  fudden  command  of  feamen  by  means  of  im/r«^ 
tnent  is  too  ftreng  an  operation  of  the  executive  power, 
too  great  an  outrage  againft  the  rights  of  men,  and  the 
facred  peace  of  families,  long  to  be  endured  in  the  pre* 
fent  courfe  of  European  affairs.  Thofe  prompt  exertions' 
of  naval  fh«ngth,  by  which  Great  Brhain  has  heretofore 
gained  advantages,  will  be  a£feded  by  an  alteration 
m  this  particular,  at  leait  fo  far  as  regards  unprofitable^ 
unjuft,  and  ambitious  wars,  into  which  all  nations  areoci^^ 
cafionally  led. 


w^. 


f  See  pap«ri  of  |be  Britifh  fociety  for  naval  arcihite^ur«» 


t  &   3 

Thefis  remarks,  it  is  prefumed,  w'lSi  not  be  niTconftrw- 
ed,  as  of  an  invidious  nature,  h  is  a  feafon  rehiring  a 
irueftate  of  thh^s.  They  arc  int^ded  as  difpafiionate 
and  reafonable  aufwe^s  to  the  extravagant  aflertiops  and 
the  contemptuous  menaces  of  the  writer  of  the  obiervai- 
tions/whofe  dodrines  are  as  pernicious  to  Great  Britain', 
as  they  are  injurious  to  the  united  ftates.  *^  Should  a  qttar' 
rel  take  place  between  the  jimertam  ftates  and  Great  Brim, 
tain,Jdmeftout  frigates,"  he  affirms,  "  wduid  completely 
tonrntOfid  the  commerce  of  this  mighty  continent.** 

It  Would  not  be  improper  to  aik,  what  argument  it 
this  very  intelligent  writer  poflelled  of,  to  prove  that  fb 
great  ^  permanent  difparity  will  exift  in  favour  of  a  na-» 
tion,  whofe  exports  are  now  to  their  expenfes,  as  1 8  to  1 6,' 
over  a  nation  whofe  export^  to  their  expenfes  areas  i8 
to  3  ?  Why,  can  he  inform  us,  fhould  the  Britifh  exports^ 
m*  imports,  neither  of  which  will  load  650,000  tons  of 
veflels,  afford  a  certain  and  permaneni  bajis  for  a  powerful 
navy,  if  thofe  of  the  united  ftates,  which  will  lade 
650,000  tons  of  veflels,  and  are  fteadily  increafing,  do 
not  juftify,  under  proper  management,  expedations  equal 
to  a  few  ftout  frigates?  Such  hiifcalculations,  on  the 
inrt  of  any  foreign  nation,  muft  lead  to  correfponding 
im[MPoprieties  in  their  deportment  towards  us^  or  they 
muft  be  candidly  rejected.   '       ' 

That  it  mufi  atways  be  thejituation  of  the  umted  ftates  iff- 
court  Great  Britain* 

TO  evince  the  fallacy  of  this  portion,  nothing  more  is 
Sieceflary  than  to  recoiled  fome  leading  circumftances  iii 
the  trade  of  the  two  countries.  Great  Britain  exports  about 
^.  1 8,000,000  fterling,  per  ann.  of  which/.  13,000,000 
Iterling  are  her  own  manufadlurr^.  It  will  not  be  pre- 
tended, that  we,  as  the  principal  cuftomers,  are  to  court 
the  venders  of  theje  goods:  A  portion  of  the  remaining 
/.  5,000,000  is  made  up  of  our  tobaccoes,  rice,  indigoes^ 
^infeng,  and  other  productions,  exported  from  their  do- 
minions in  an  unmanufadured  ftate.  Of  thefe,  it  will 
lyot  be  fuppofed  we  can  be  anaumitto  make  impir(ations» 


f 


i  ««■■  J 

Itie  greater  part  of  the  remainder  in  inrdc  up  of  IndJa, 
Kiiflian,  German,  and  other  articles,  ri'  foreign  growid^ 
or  manufadure,  whieh  Britain  cannot  fumifh  but  at  fe- 
cond  hand ;  for  which,  confequently,  we  are  not  under 
tlie  neceflity  to  court  her,  and  which  neither  we  nor  any 
other  nation  ihould  receive  from  her  £urope,^n  domini- 
ons, were  we  to  purfue  her  navigation  principk^s.    The 
re-ihiptcommodities  of  Ireland,  too,  formnoincoi^dera- 
Ue  item  in  the  lift  of  Britifh  exports.  For  thefe  we  could  be 
under  no  obligation  to  Great  Britain,  being  manufac- 
tured  goods,  on  the  (hipment  of  flK>ft  of  which  to  thefe 
ftatesand  all  the  world,  the  Iriflihave  long  granted  a  very 
encouraging  bounty.  In  regard  to  our  exports  to  Great 
Britain,  they  confijf  principaily  of  the  effbntiril  elements  of 
bermamf azures f  shipping,  and  navy.  Thefe  are  not  only 
(in  the  language  of  lord  Sheffield,  when  fpeaking  of  the 
nnifian  exports)  more  precbus  to  her  than  gold,  but  are 
abfolute  necelFaries.  Lumber  of  all  kinds,  bark,  cotton, 
flax,  uron,  filaxfeed,  wax,  indigo,  pot  afh,  tar,  pitch,  tur- 
pentine, ildns,  and  furs,  are  among  the  articles  here  con- 
templated. To  thefe  may  be  added,  wheat,  flour,   and 
Indian  corn,  taken   in  fmall  quantities,  except  when 
neceflity  compels  large  importations ;  alfo  tobacco  and 
rice,  which  are  confuined  in  a  fmall  proportion  in  Bri- 
tain, but  contribute  to  fwell  her  exports,  and  increafe 
her  carrying  trade  to  other  countries.  '  IHs  manifeft,  that 
all  thefe  esqxiirts  are  much  to  be  dedred  on   her  part, 
and  that  it  would  be  moft  proHtable  to  the  united  ibtes, 
to  manufa^iure  the  rout  materials ,  and  to  expend  the  pro- 
vijions  on  their  own  manufaSlurers ;  and  to  furniih  the  rice 
and  tobacco,  by  the  diredi  voyc^e,  to  thofe  nations  which 
are  fupplied  circuitoufly  through  Britifli  ports.    In  ano* 
ther  point  of  view,  the  intercourfe  with  Great  Britain  is 
not  particularly  to  be  courtied  by  the  united  dates.  It  hat 
been  already  obferved,  that  we  imported  of  their  manu- 
fadhires,  in  1784,  /•  3,648,007  fterling,  and  in    1785 
^.'2,308,013,  which  appear,  on  a  medium  of  thofe  two 
years,  to  have  been  equal  t«  above  one  third  dtthemanu- 
futures  thty  exported,  to  all  other  foreign  nations/  How 
immenfely  beneficial,  h^  indi/penjibly  necejfary  to  the  Britiili 


-n 


A 


feianufaftiirers,  are  fuch  confumers  ?  Let  it  be  aflced,  anil 
candidly  anfwered,  if  they  or  we  are  to  court  fuch  bufu 
neis?  If  any  inviting  meafures  are  to  be  adopted  by 
this  country,  it  would  be  more  wife  to  court  the  capital- 
ift&»  manuhi6turers,  and  artizans,  of  the  feveral  kingdoms 
of  Europe,  which  are  overcharged  with  private  wealth 
lod  population.  It  may  be  urged,  that   we  are  ftrongly 
induced  to  court  Great  Britain  for  credit.  1  he  ani'wer 
ii,  that  {he  cannot  venture  to  withhold  her  fabrics,  what- 
ever may  be  our  time  of  payment ;  for  in  the  prefent 
fiate  of  things,  a  yeast's  abfence  of  Britiih  fabrics  firom 
jOur  markets,  would  give  an  imroenfe  fpring  to  our  own 
tnanufadtures.  But  there  is  aftrong  fymptom  of  the  ability 
eft'  the  united  ftates  to  do  without  a  very  extenHve  cre- 
dity  troQ)  any  particular  nation,  in  the  abundant  fupplies 
of  China  and  £ait  India  goods,  which   are  impoited 
frmn  every  part  of  thofe  countries  with  which  we  trade, 
amounting,  probably,  to  more  than  a  fifth  of  our  con** 
fuiiiption  of  foreign  commodities.  This  independency  on 
any  particular  naticHi,  which  is  in  the  higheit  degree  ta 
be  deHred,  will  be  fenfibly  promoted  by  the  eftablifli* 
ment  of  our  good  name  in  other  foreign  countries,  by 
iAreugthening  our  new  and  whplefome  guards  around  the 
lights  of  property,  and  by  the  recent  multiplication  and 
extenfion  of  banks.  Though  no  fuch  pecuniary  inltitUi* 
tion  exiiled  ten  years  ago,  iix  banks  are  eftabliflied 
inow  in  five  different  cities ;  and  their  capitals  exceed 
at  this  time  a  moiety  of  our  importations.   The  accom- 
modations and  farilities  which  will  refult  from  them, 
muft  exceedingly  promote  the  independency  of  the  Ame- 
rican merchant  and  coofumer,  on  foreign  credits. 

Thtt  "  it  vnU  mt  be  the  mtereft  of  any  of  the  great  ma" 
riihne  pmuers,  to  prqtet^  the  Jinericau  veJfeU  from  the 
Uarharyjiates»^^ 

THE  lull  of  power  has  feldom  given  rife  to  a  lefe 
reputable  fentitnent  in  the  bofom  of  an  individual  than 
that  which  we  are  now  to  notice.  Like  the  initrudion 
fif  the  ilagitious  father  to  bis  fon^  to  get  moneyi  it  is  ad- 


V 


C    63    1 

fifed,  that  nauatftrength  (hould  be  fecured,  ^/ij  rf  md 
fas.  But  it  is  not  alTerted,  that  «ny  nation  maintains  tMi 
doctrine.  It  has  been  urged  in  anfwer  agamft  us,  that  we 
import  Oaves,  which  has  in  a  very  great  degree  ceafed  % 
for  the  veffels  froai  Africa,  in  the  whole  returned  year, 
were  lefs  than  four  hundred  tons.    But  let  the  circum* 
ftances  of  the  cafe  be  examined  and  candidly  conftdered^ 
When  high  duties  on  the  importation  of  flaves  were  im* 
pofed  before  the  revolution,  by  fome  of  the  colonial  a£> 
iemblies,  they  were  rendered  of  no  tSeOt  by  the  negative 
tf  the  crvmty  upon  the  fame  principles,  that  now  deter* 
mine  the  condudl  of  many  of  the  European  (hipholdery 
and  manufacturers— becaufe  the  abolition  of  the  flavs 
trade  would  curtail  their  refpe£tive  profits.  During;  and 
(ince  the  war,  moft  of  the  dates  have  prohiiiMted  thoK  im<* 
portations :  ieveral  have  abediflied  (lavery  :  and  we  find 
as  above  hinted,  that  no  more  than  385  tons  of  fhi[^in^ 
arrived  from  Africa  in  twelve  months  uib&qnent  to  An- 
guft  1789,  in  all  the  fbtes,  belonging  to  us,  and  all  other 
nations.  Whether  thefe  had  onboard  any  (laves,  is  not 
known.  Great  Britain  cannot  prefs a  country,  thus  condud^ 
ingitfelf,  on  the  fubjeft  of  the  fljive  trade,  feeing  that  bee 
colonies  continue  to  import  tens  of  thoirfands  pef  annnm« 
But  it  is  conceived  that  the  reverfe  of  lord  Sheffield's  po<« 
fition  is  true,  and  that  it  is  the  intereft  of  moll  of  the  g^eat 
maritime  powers,  to  purfue  meafures,  which  might  tend 
to  free  the  Americans  from  the  pii^cies  of  the  Barbaqr 
ftates.  It  may  be  among  the  means  of  transferring   (o 
thofe  nations,  from  Great  Britain,  "  a  part  0/  thefve* 
reignty  of  the  ncearC  and  "  a  part  of  the  commerce  of  the 
world,  which f  it  is  alleged,  her  naval  power  has  fecured  tt 
her."  The  balance  of  power,  if  it  be  accurately  defined, 
muft  be  ftated  to  comprehend  now  the  balance  of  navii 
power.  To  attain  and  preferve  that,  the  firft  ftcp  is  ma- 
nifeflly  to  diveft  any  nation,  which  may  poflefs  it,  df 
**  the  fovereignty  of  the  ocean."    That  fovereignty  can 
comport  with  the  true  interefts  and  dignity  of  no  othef 
kingdom.  It  will  be  more  advantageous  to  the  feveral  na* 
tions,  who  are  not  actually  the  firft  in  the  fcale  of  naval 
power,  that  the  united  itates  ihoulU  acquire  a  portion  of 


jf  u 


t    64    I 

the  marina  forte  of  a  nation,  too  potent  hj  fea,  thair 
that  fuch  nation,  if  it  really  has  been  the  cafe,  fiiould 
continue  to  give  Jaw  upon  the  ocean :  and  it  is  manifeft, 
that  no  one  of  thofe  nations  can  be  iatisfied,  that  any 
other  (hou)d  prefcribe  the  law  there.  The  deftru^n  of 
no  particular  kingdom  is  alleged  to  be  requifite  to  the 
well  being  of  this,  or  any  other  country :  but  it  cer- 
tainly is  not  nece0ary,  that  the  other  nations  of  the 
world  ihould  promote,  w  acquiefce  in  meafures,  calcu- 
lated to  fupport  any  one  (ungdom  in  a  naval  didator- 
jhip.  This  degree  of  marine  ftrength  is  not  requifite  for 
the  felf-defence  of  any  nation ;  and  it  may  evidently  be 
perverted  to  interrupt  the  commerce  and  to  diftufb  the 
tranquillity  of  Europe.  Whether  this  has  been  cafe,  (coh-< 
cerning  which  no  aflertion  is  here  made)  it  remains  for 
the  parties  concerned  feverally  to  determine.  If  it  has 
been,  if  it  may  be,  and  if  it  probably  will  be,  then  it 
tifo  remains  for  them  to  decide,  whether  it  be  dieir  true 
intereft  to  jom  in  the  honourable  league  with  the  Barba- 
rians againft  the  honeft  commerce,  and  the  perfonal  li- 
bertiei  of  the  citizens  of  the  united  fiates. 


'UheSriti/hiflanJsvmldbe  croudediuUh  Dutch,  French^ 
dni  pther  foreign  veffih,  if  they  were  to  be  laid  open,** 

A  dire£l  contradi^on  cannot  be  eiven  to  this  aflertion : 
but  probabilities  are  ftrongly  againit  it.  The  free  ports 
of  the  French  iilands  are  thus  bid  q>en ;  yet  the  whole 
tonnage,  which  ufually  pafles  between  them  and  the 
united  iUtes,  in  the  courfe  of  a  year,  excluHvely  of  their 
own  ihips,  thofe  of  the  united  dates,  and  thoie  of  Great 
Britain,  do  not  exceed  two  per  cent,  c^  the  whole  ton- 
nage employed  in  the  trade ;  and  though  the  Britifh  vef- 
fels  have  an  equal  opportunity  with  the  ihips  of  France 
and  of  thefe  ftates,  yet  they  carried  but  eight  fmall  car- 

foes  to  all  the  French  iflands,  during  the  returned  year, 
rom  the  nature  of  the  Weft  India  trade,  and  of  the 
commodities  tranfported,  it  cannot  be  fupported,  unlefs 
the  veifels  be  owned  by  the  inl»biunts  of  the  iflaiujii 


r  65  1 

#  thofe  Gj^  this  country.  Similar  fa^s  occirr,  !nexamin« 
ing  the  trade  with  the  Dutch  ports  in  the  Weft  Indies^ 
and  on  the  main ;  and  the  fame  obfervations,  it  is  con- 
ceived^ w««ld  juftly  apply  to  them.  But  what  are  thofe 
foreign  velTels  to  carry  to  the  Enelifh  iflands  ?  By  the 
other  Britifh  regulations,  they  coukl  tranfport  i^o  /fmeri- 
can  articles,  and  they  cannot  fhip  from  their  own  do- 
minions, with  a  chance  of  profit,  any  of  the  commodi- 
ties which  are  permitted  to  be  imported  from  forisign 
countries^  into  the  Britilh  Welt  Indies.  *^ 


K 


ifiJk- 


*■'     0 


i^ 


M  •-*> 


•^^ 


riFTH    MUMBElL    m 


THE  next  ei^^blrs  in  the  obTervationi  of  lord  Shef« 
field,  pB  which  it  is  necefTaiy  to  animadvert,  aM 
feme  which  are  not  inconfiderable,  withrefpefi  to  tfaft 
a^al  and  ptobable 

POPULATION  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

HE  it  of  opinion  that  onr  population  is  not  likely  tft 
increiale  as^  it  has  done  on  our  coaits ;  that  we  Ifad  fdles 
off  in  nuinfa«rt  in  1784;  and  that  the  enugratian  from 
the  united  dates  would  be  very  coniiderable.  The  fiate 
of  Rhode  Ifland  was  proved  by  a£hial  enumeration,  iflf 
178^,  to  contain  51,896  perfons.  The  unhappy  condition 
of  that  government,  and  the  confequent  interruption  d 
its  trade,  fiflieries,  and  roanufadures,  from  1780  to  thtf 
beginning  of  1790,  occaGoned  great  emigfationt  froai 
thence  into  the  other  ftates.   Yet  the  cenfus,  which  war 
completed  before  the  firft  day  of  May,  in   the  prefent 
year,  amounts  f  68,825^  Delaware,  which,  like  Rhode 
Ifland,  has  no  back  country,  and  lies  upon  the  coaft,  lil^at 
eftimated  at  35,000  perfons,  in  a  return,  which  Ic^d 
3h<eiield  affirmedin    1783,  to  be  too  high,   lu  popuU- 


Z    6B   ^ 

tion  is  proved,  by  the  a£hial  enumeration  juft  coinpIeteidl» 
to  be  59)094.  Connecticut,  another  ftate  upon  the  coaft, 
vras  computed  in  the  fame  return,  which  he  mentions, 
in  1784,  to  contain  206,000  perfons.  It  is  well  known, 
that  its  population,  in  proportion  to  its  territory,  was 
then,  and  is  now,  the  greateft  in  the  union,  and  that  i$ 
has  been  inceflantly  fending  emio;rants  to  Maine,  New 
llampfhine,  Vermont,  New  York,  Pcnnfylvania,  Mary- 
land; Virginia,  and  the  weftem  territory  :  yet  its  cenfus 
fhowsit  to  contain,  at  this  time,  237,942  inhabitants. 
New.Jerfey,  another  ftate  without  new  or  unfettled 
lands,  is  rated  in  the  return,  which  lord  Sheffield  quefr 
tions,  at  150,000,  and  was  proved  by  the  enumeration, 
which  was  taken  at  the  moment  he  hazarded  this  doubt, 
to  contain  149,435  perfons.  The  cenfus  fliows  its  prefen^ 
|)opu1ation   to  be  184,139.    ^^^  fork  was  ftated  at 
200,000,  and  now  appears  to  be  340,120.  Pennfylvania, 
which  was  faid  to  be  eftimated  too  high,  in    1784,  at 
320,000,  amounts  10434,373.  Maflackufetts,  including 
the  diftrift  of  Maine,  is  fet  down  in  the  difputed  eflima* 
tion,  at  350,000,  in  17184  :  the  cenfus  in  1790,  proves  to 
be  475^327.  New  Hamplhire,  which  is  found  to  conr 
tain  141,885,  was  confidered  as  having  no  more  than 
82,200.  Maryland,  which  was  eftimateclat  220,000,  and 
iKrhich  has  not  one  county  that  does  not  lie  on  a  naviga- 
ble river,  flowing  into  the  Atlantic  ocean,  appears  by  ti^e 
cenfus  to  have '^19,728.  Virginia, fifr/«/ii;<r/y  of  Kentucky, 
was  ftated  in  the  old  return  to  have  400,000,  and  is* 
found  to  contain  747,610,  after  the  feparation  of  Ken-^ 
tucky,  whofe  population  is  77,67 f  i  and  here  it  is  to  be 
ivmarked,  that  the  ftate  of  MafTachufetts,  though  thickly 
fettled,  has  manifeftly  gained  people  in   the  lad  nine 
years,  more  rapidly  than  Kentucky,  fuppoiing  the'  latter 
to  have  had  10,000  inhabitants  or  upwards,  in    1782; 
and  the  part  of  Virginia,  not  incluaing  Kentucky,  has 
gained   inhabitants  much  more  rapidly  than  that  wef- 
tern  diftridl.  Thefe  two  fa£ls  are  mentioned  to  prove  the 
error  of  lord  ShefEeld's  prediction,  that  our  population 
was  not  likely  to  increafe,  as  it  has  done,  **  on  the  fea 
^cpaf^."   North  ilarolina,  wbk:k   was   ftated   at  only 


C  ^  1 


«oo,ooo,  is  proved  to  contain  393,75 i,exclufively  of  t^ 
weflern  country  ceded  to  congreCs  by  that  ftate  in  the 
lait  year,  the  population  of  which  is  found  to  be  abou^ 
35,000  more.  The  population  of  Vermont  is  above  85,000 1 
that  of  South  Carolina,  and  the  governments  in  the  wef* 
tern  territory  is  not  yet  afcertaincd. 

The  whole  return  above  referred  to,  is  alleged,  by 
our  author,  to  be  too  high.  Its  total  is  2,389^00, 
and  it  was  made  the  bads  of  congrellional  afleflatentSr 
The  bed  accounts,  as  lord  Sheffield  affirms,  made  the 
number  of  whites  1,700,000.  There  feems,  however, 
from  the  returns  already  received,  to  be  no  doubt,  thap 
our  numbers  will  prove  more  than  3,900,000,  by  the 
cenfus  taken  from  Auguft,  1790,10  April  1791,  inclufive. 
The  population  of  the  united  lUces  \us  therefore  advan- 
ced 6^  per  centum  on  a  return  in  1782,  which  lord  Shef- 
field affirmed,  in  1784,  to  be  exaggerated. 

The  firaplicity  of  living  aniungii  the  great  body  of  the 
AmericCn  people— -the  facility  of  obtaining  the  means  uf 
fubfiftence-— migration  to  our  country — and  the  non«ex- 
iftence  of  emigrations  from  it,  though  Nova  Scotia  is 
fo  near,  and,  as  lord  Sheffield  fays,  lo  tempting — thefe 
circumftances  have  occafioned  the  united  dates  thus  ra- 
pidly to  increafe  in  population,  in  the  lait  nine  years,  fe- 
ven  of  which  were  extremely  difordered  and  difcourag* 
ing.  But  nosv,  when  agriculture  is  improved,  when  laws^ 
religion,  morals,  liberal  and  ufeful  fcience,  arts,  manufac- 
tures, and  commerce,  are  maintained,  promoted,  and  ex- 
tended— lord  Sheffield  hiinfelf  will  believe,  that  our  po« 
pulation  will  increafe  even  on  the  fea  coad.Xet  foreign- 
ers, who  fincerely  defire  information,  take  up  the  rni- 
]adelphia  diredtory,  publiflied  by  the  marilial  of  the  uni?> 
ted  ftates  for  the  diltridl  of  Pet>nfylvania,  and  learn  by 
'this  limple  but  authentic  document,  the  ingredients  of 
which  our  towns  are  compofed,  even  in  a  ftate  whofe 
territory  is  not  one  fourth  fettled.  It  will  there  be  fecn^ 
that  while  our  planters'  and  farmers'  fons  are  fubdivi. 
ding  their  lands,  or  moving  forward  into  lefs  populated 
fcenes,  many  of  the  fons  of  our  artificers  and  manufap- 
tqjrers^  and  m9ny  perfons  of  thofe  occupations^  f|-pm  t  p^t 


f,t 


I    70    1 

eign  countries,  are  taking  their  ifationi  on  the  vacant 
lots  in  our  old  ftreets,  or  commencing  new  ones.  Tht 
fiber  and  intluJHws  journeymen' of  Europe,  luho  can /career 
lyfuppwi  the  expenfes  of  livir^  there,  jften  become  juccejp» 
/«/  mt*fter  wtrkmen  here.  It  may  be  iafely  affirmed,  that 
the  Scotch  combine  the  advantages  of  fobriety,  induftry, 
frugality,  and  ikiU,  in  as  great  a  degree  as  any  manufac- 
turers in  Europe  ;  yet  they  inceflantly  emigrate  to  us,  and 
are  remarkably  fuccefsful  in  their  various  branches. 

EMIGRATION. 

GREAT  pains  are  uken  by  the  writer  of  the  obferva- 
tions,  to  place  the  emigrants  to  America  in  the  moft  dif* 
couraging  circuniitances  of  diihrefs  and  contempt.  **  Emi" 
gration,"  fays  he,  "  is  the  natural  refource  of  the  cul- 
prit/' Thofe,  who  are  acquainted  with  the  hiftory  of 
Europe,  llnce  the  beginning  of  the  feventeenth  century, 
and  of  the  colonies  lettled  from  thence,  know,  that  the 
emigrants  hither  have  been,  generally  fpeaking,  the  en- 
lerprijing,  and  their  followers,  or  ihk  opprejfed  fubje£fs  of 
unjujt  cwil  or  religious  rulers — the  latter  in  the  greatell 
degree.  There  is  not  a  ftate  in  the  union  which  doesnot 
contain  one  or  more  fed:s,  which  have  fled  from  religi- 
ous perfecution.  Nothing  can  be  more  rational,  than 
that  perlbns  of  Jmcere  piety  and  tender  cQnfciences,  (hould 
ieek  a  country,  in  which  the  ailertion  of  mere  tolemtlon 
is  deemed  as  abfurd,  as  the  denial  of  religious  liberty  is 
thought  to  be  criminal.  Hence  congregationalifts,  quar 
kers,  baptiils,  and  others,  have  |lcd  hither  from  England ; 
^eceders  and  epifcopalians  from  Scotland  ;  catholics  from 
Ireland ;  hugonucs  from  France ;  protectants  from  the 
dominions  of  the  cathplic  princes  of  Ge^iany ;  and  ca* 
t  holies  from  thofe  of  the.  proteftant  princes.  Iwo  cen* 
turies  have  not  elapfeii,  iince  all  the  dominions  of  the  nni- 
ted  ftatcs  were  an  howling  wildernels.  1  hey  now  contain 
pear  four  millions  of  people.  From  whence  have  they  been 
jjerived  ?  In  g  eat  numbers  from  Europe,  by  incefTant 
^treams  of  emigration.  But  it  may  be  alked,  are  thefe 
pco^}!e  happy  ^"^  j^^Tpfperous.'  Does  t^e  foil  they  culti- 


tff»,  yield  them  any  return  for  their  labour  i  They  pMf  ^ 
aire  for  dlemfelves  comfortable*  habitations,  food,  rai. 
ment,  and  other  conveniencies,  and  have  exported  in  « 
(ingle  year,  above  twenty  millions  of  dollars  in  value  t 
How  then  can  thefe  people  have  been  **  miferably  diG^ 
pointed  in  their  expe^ations  of  profperity  here  V* 

But  lord  Sheffield  aflures  all  emigrants,  that  they  will 
be  diftrelTed,  nay,  ruined,  by  taxes }  and  that  our  pub< 
lie  burdens  are  heavier  than  thofe  of  any  country  in  Eu- 
rope. It  appears,  however,  that  we  are  now  in  the  mid- 
^e  of  the  third  year  of  our  general  government,  and 
notwithstanding  all  our  late  arrearages,  and  the  food- 
ing  of  our  debts,  neither  a  tax  on  lands,  nor  any  fpeciea 
of  d\re6t  tax,  is  contemplated.  No  exdfe  upon  any  ard- 
de  of  confumption  or  ufe  is  laid  or  propoled,  except  a 
very  fmall  one  on  fpiritous  liquors,  compared  with  toofe 
in  Europe.  Beftdes  this,  the  impoft  or  duty  on  fore^ 
goods  imported  is  the  fole  revenue,  that  is  raifed  upon 
3ie  people,  and  it  is,  on  a  medium,  lefs  in  currency,  tnaii 
the  fame  articles  pay  in  fleriif^f  in  all  the  principal  coun- 
tries of  Europe.  W  here,  then,  are  thefe  infupporublc 
burdens  with  which  this  writer  attempts  to  alarm  Euro- 
pean emigrants? 

Under  the  head  of  emigration,  lord  Sheffield  has  laid 
bimfelf  open  to  a  more  fevere  meafure  of  juft  remarisy 
than  it  is  agreeable  to  deal  out  to  him.  It  ought  not, 
bowever,  to  be  unnoticed,  that  he  gravely  brings  fort* 
ward  a  ftory,  on  the  pretended  authority  of  a  letter 
from  Philadelphia,  of  **  two  fine  Irifli  youths  being 
purchafed  by  a  negro  fruit  feller,  in  that  city,  and  em* 
ployed  in  hawking  fruit  about  the  ftreets,  and  in  the 
nieaneft  employments.''  How  dangerous  muft  be  the 
(ituation  of  a  government,  which  has  a£led  upon  the  in- 
formation and  reafonings  brought  forward  by  a  mind 
capable  of  ufmg  fuch  means  to  carry*  his  points,  ad- 
mitting the  letter  were  genuine  !  How  unlike  a  dignified 
flatefman  does  lord  Sheffield  appear,  in  exclaiming,  after 
this  contemptible  ftory,  "  Irijhmen  juft  emancipated 
in  Europe,  go  to  jimerica  to  become  flaves  to  a  negro  P^ 
and  what  will  be  thought  when  it  is  known,  that  in 
the  legiilature  of  the  very  ftate  (Pennfylvania)  in  whofe 


t  ft  i 

Mpital  lie  alleges  the  faA  took  place,  there*' 
tboMt  tht  time  of  his  'publication,  po  leis  than  twenty- 
eight  Iriihmen  and  fbns  of  Iriihmen,  thdugh  the  whole, 
body  confifted  of  but  (ixty  nine  members?  We  ar6 
willing  that  the  fortunes  of  the  Irifli  in  this  country^ 
ihoulcT  determine  the  expeeiiency  of  their  continuing ' 
io  emigi^ate  hither.  As  fome  pains  hav«.  been  taken  by 
him  to  excite  the  a^^rehenlions  of  the  Germans  alfd^ 
it  may  not  be  improper  to  obferve,  that  there  have 
generally  been  from  nfteen  to  Jghteen  members  of  th^ 
^me  legulative  body^  who  were  natiyes  of  Germany  q|^ 
their  fous< 

keritucty  arid  the  iJJeftern  ttriritorjf. 

It  was  boldly  aflferted  by  lord  Sheffield,  in  I  84,  thai 
the  people  of  the  interior  country  of  America,  wer6 
**  Aie^e  nominal  fubjedts,"  and  would  fpeedily  imitate 
tnd  r^ultiply  the  examples  of  independence^  The  re* 
jgular  organization  of  the  government  of  th6  territory 
n'jrth-weltof  theOhioAnce  that  tim^  the  arrangement^ 
•made  ihortly  after,  for  the  ere^on  of  Kentucky  into  a 
feparate  ilate,  with  the  confent  of  congrefs  and  Virginia^ 
the  ceilion  of  the  e^tentive  country  fputli  of  the  T)hio 
.to  congrefs  in  1790^  and  its  temporary  eftablifliment  as. 
A  kind  of  fief  of  the  general  government  (with  civil 
officers  appointed  by  the  pre(ident)  to  be  admitted  into 
the  union  as  an  entii^  new  member,  when  its  population 
ihould  be  fufficiently  numerous,  the  adoptimi  of  the  federal 
conftitution  by  a  deliberate  a£t  of  a  fpecial  convention 
of  Vermont,  and  the  formal  admiffions  of  that  (late  and| 
Kentucky  into  the  American  union,  at  their  own  deHre, 
and  by  an  a£l  of  the  iegidature  of  the  united  ftates,  have;| 
as  far  as  poiTible^  contradicted  the  prophecy. 

Another  opinion,  in  regard  to  thofe  diftant  fcenes,  is^ 
that  they  i^zi  derive  no  benefit  from  the  American  dates. 
At  this  moment,  thti  arm  of  government  is  extended^ 
and  its  funds  are  appropriated,  to  protect  them  againit  thd 
hoililities  pf  the  Indians :  and  the  whole  regular  mili- 
tary force,  which  it  has  been  thought  neceflary  to  fupport, 
was  raifed|  and  is  now  employed  iu  their  dcfi^ncf  ^  Th? 


re 

twenty% 
le  whole. 
We  are 
5  country^ 
ontinuing' 
taken  ky 
aans  alfo^i 
ere   have 
ers  of  th* 
rmany  Pit 


I  84,thatv 
■ica,    wert 
ily  inutatd 
The   re* 
it  territory 
•angemcnti 
cky  into  a 
d  Virgnia^ 
fihet>hio 
lUfliment  as. 
with  civil 
litted  into 
populatiop 
the  federal 
|conventibn 
(t  ilate  and 
iwn  defire, 
ates,  have, 

fcenes,  is, 
ican  dates* 

extended, 
lagainft  the 
tular  roili- 
po  fupport, 
fencf^  Th^ 


AtfaiiHc  i-iverl,  from  the  MifnAippi  to  tde  Mohaw^ 
Itrhich  nature  has  formed  as  the  channels  of  their  trade, 
can  be  cleared  of  natural  and  political  obftruAidnsonly  by 
the  me^ures  of  the  Atlantic  ftates ;  arid  n6  lefs  than  eight 
fevend  plans  to  that  end  are  now  in  preparation  or  execu- 
tion  in  as  many  difTerent  places,  under  the  aufpid^of  th4 
five  ftates,  within  whofe  territories  the  moft  favourable 
rivers  and  grourds  have  been  placed  by  nature.  Cong^efs 
alone  can  tBed  the  relinquiflimeat  of  the  pbfts,  the 
keys  iff  the  vieftern  country.     The  itnpt'ovemeiit  arid 
opening  of  the  many  necei&y  reads,  leading  weilwafd^ 
iavXk  be  done  by  the  ads  of  the  Atlantic  ftates,  and  by 
their  funds.    Not  a  year  elapfes  without  feveral  ^. 
propriations  of  money  to  tbisobjied.  Byajmcre  and 
ct(fe  Union  between  the  inhabitants  tf  the  tiie/lem  country 
and  thofe  upon  the  coafts,  both  parties  uiill  aMthofe  eX" 
penfive,  bloody,  and  frequent  ftruggles^  vjhicb  every  tvhere 
£jgrace  and  irjjure  adjacent  ftates. 

That  m  American  articles  Srefo  neceffdry  to  Great  t^rU 
tatn^  Mi  the  Britljb  manufa£hares^  6t.  are  H  the  Am- 
ricdns. 

LOAD  Sheffield  has  already  admitted,  that  raw  ma^ 
terials  are  more  precious  to  Britain  than  gold  :  but  this 
was  not  condeded  to  Amefica.  Thofe  thiags,  which  are 
ineftimable  when  ^evr  are  to  be  drawn  from  countries 
other  than  the  iin||ld  ftates,  lofe  all  theu"  value  in  his 
eftimation,  when  to  be  derived  from  us.  The  Britifh  nia- 
nufafhirers  well  know,that  Americao  raw  materials  (like 
thofe  of  Rimia,  the   Indies  and  Ireland)  are  precious, 
indeed,  to  them,  becaufe.  in  addition  to  their  natural 
value,  and  their  indifpenrible  need  oi"  them,  when  once 
landed  in  Britain,  they    cannot    be  nianufa£hired  in 
America.   Timber,  plank,    boards,  mafts,   tar,    pitch, 
turpentine,  and  pig  iron  for  the  fupport  of  their  navy 
and  (hipping— ^indigo,  potafh,  furs,  ikins,  flaxfeed,  iron, 
tobacco,  ftaves,  fine  oil,  6c.  for  the  employment  of  their 
manufa6hirers — rice,  wheat,   and  Hour  for  their  fub- 
riftence-«>and  a  large  catalogue  of  the  moft  necelfary 


'4. 

iupplics  for  the  Wcft^Irtdia  iflands,  which  really  cannot 
be  obtained  elfewhf  re,  without  aninfupportable  addition 
to  their  coft^  will  not  be  deemed  at  this  time,  by  a 
rational  and  well  informed  man,  of  lefs  importance  to 
Great  Britain,  than  the  manufadlures  of  that  country, 
v^hich  they  are  aflfiduoufly  endeavouring  to  difperfe 
through  every  quarter  of  the  world,  arc  to  us. 

But  it  is  not  intended  to  wade  arguments  on  this 
allegation.  Every  man  of  information,  in  the  affairs  of 
the  two  countries,  is  able  to  decide  on  it  at  firfl;  view.  Little 
more  appears  neceflary  than  to  remind  the  parties  con- 
cerned, that  fuch  an  aflertion  is  among  the  poHtions, 
Ivhich  lord  Sheffield  has  hazarded,  in  order  that  the 
mifleading  tendency  of  his  bode. may  be  duly  borne  in 
itiind  by  the  fmcere  friends  of  mutually  beneficial  ar- 
rangements. It  may  not,  however,  be  amifs  toobftrye, 
that  although  the  favourable  ideas  that  faave  been 
fugi^efted  by  way  of  anfwer,  were  juftified  by  fafts  and 
reaion,wben  that  work  was  publiihed,  yet  the  American 
ground  is  not  a  little  meliorated  by  the  fubfequent  pro- 
grefs  and  prefent  (late  of  our  manufactures— by  the  ex- 
perienced inability  cf  Canada,  »New  Brunfwic,  and 
Nova  Scotia,  to  furniih  the  promifed  fuppliesT— by  the 
confequent  importations  from  the  united  Aates  of  timber 
and  lumber  into  Gregt  Britain,  and  of  moie  than  the  for- 
mer fupplies  into  the  Weft  Indies-^and  by  the  neceflary 
dependence  of  Europe  on  the  united  ftates  for  the  pre- 
cious articles  of  grain  and  flour,  which  has  been  recently 
afcertained  and  admitted  by  unqueftionable  Englilh  au- 
thorities. 

The  quality  ofJnurican  MJilUedJ^Us, 

IT  is  not  furprifing,  that  remarks  on  the  bad  quality  of 
American  fpiritous  liquors  fhould  run  through  **  the  ob- 
fervations.''  But  the  bufinefs  of  diflilling  is  fo  fimple, 
that  great  improvements  might  have  been  expected 
fince  1733.  Geneva,  in  imitation  of  that  of  Holland,  is 
now  made  1..  fome  of  our  fea  ports  :  the  re^ifying 
•f  the  ordinary  rums  is  praCtifed  by  a  few  with  great 


^p«, 


% 


cannot 
addition 
ae,  by  a 
tance  to 
country, 

difperfe 

s-  on  this 
affairs  of 
w.  Little 
pties  con- 
poCitions, 
that  the 
borne  in 
eficial  ar- 
oobftrye, 
tve   been 
h&s  and 
American 
[uent  pro- 
ay  the  cx- 
wic,   and 
-by  the 
of  timber 
an  the  for- 
necclfary 
•  thepre- 
n  recently 
nglilh  au- 


I  quality  of 
the  ob- 

ib  Ample, 
expected 

tcUandy  is 

[reftifying 
rith  great 


t    7S    3 

itfccefs.  Peach  brandy  is  made  in  conOderablft  qtiantltiesy 
and,  when  matured,  is  the  raoH:  exqulfite  fpirit  in  the 
world.  Should  our  rice  decline  in  price,  it  is  not 
doubted,  that  the  manufacture  of  arrack  will  be  attempted. 
The  ingredients  from  which  this  fpirit  is  made,  have  till 
lately  been  una  ^':ertained  in  the  united  dates:  but  it  is 
now  believed,  that  rice,  and  coarfe  fugar,  or  melafles, 
are  really  the  articles.  When  the  fuccefs  of  the  Ame- 
ricans in  the  manufacture  of  malt  liquors  is  remembered^ 
it  will  not  be  doubted,  that  they  will  have  equal  fuccefy 
in  that  of.  diftilled  fpirits.  A  principal  impediment  has 
hitherto  been  the  free  and  c^ious  influx  of  rival  foreign 
liquors,  and  the  general  reception  of  flour,  6r.  in  K)- 
reign^orts.  Every  obftruCtion  to  our  veilels  and  lales 
abfoacl,  impofed  by  the  European  nations,  impels  to 
breweries,  diililleries,  and  manufadures  in  general, 
amongft  other  modes  of  creating  a  demand  for  our 
grain,  and  empleyraent  for  oar  capita:ls. 

*'  If  the  Anwican  flatesjhmtld  attempt  to  pgy  their  debts, 
the  lands  of  the  farmers  muji  for  J ome  time  lie  under 
very  heavy  impofitionsJ' 


y* 


THIS  is^among  the  many  proofs,  which  our  writer 
has  given,  that  he  did  not  pcwefs  the  gift  of  prophecy. 
The  American  debt  has  been  confiderably  reduced  by 
the  falc  of  ftate  and  federal  lands,  and  a  provifion  is 
made  for  funding  it.  A  (inking  fund  has  alfo  been  pro- 
vided. Yet  m  tax  upon  lands  has  been  introduced 
smong  the  ways  and  means.  The  whole  American 
debt  would  not  require  a  tax  upon  e:ich  individual,  of 
four  pounds  (lerling,  to  extinguifh  it  forever.  That  of 
Greai  Britain  wtuld require  a  lax  c*f  more  than  twenty- 
four  pounds  ten  (hillings  (Itrling.  Our  popubtion  is  ra- 
pidly increafmg,  while  theirs  is  comparatively  (tationary. 
There  is  a  like  difproportion  in  our  favour  in  the  ordi- 
nary and  extraorlinary  expenfes  of  government  and 
defence.  The  French  debt  is  250  per  cent,  heavier  than 
ours,  in  proportion  to  numbers.  This  brief ,  but  very  im- 
portant  article  "will  mt  fail  to  receive  Aite  attemim  from 


C  76  3 

th<£e  wh  Jtrt^erely  dejlre  to  make  a  juft  eftlmaie  of  thjs 
tffmrs  (ftbe  united  Jtates  ;  nca*  will  it  efcape  the  obfcTf 
yations  of  thofe  foreigners,  who  may  be  engaged  iq 
refearches  into  our  a^irs,  or  in  pl^nspf  emigration,  Set- 
tlement, and  landed  purchaies  in  this  country.  It  will 
fplfo  l^e  a  fource  of  the  moft  comfortable  reflexions  to 
our  own  citizens.    The  people  of  Europe,  who  have 
read  lord  Sheffield's  book,  will  be  furprifed  to  hjear  that 
there  are  no  perpetual  revenues,  n«  ^mp  duties,  nq 
window  or  hearth  taxes,  no  tythes,  no  excifei  upon 
beer,  hops,  malt,  fbap,  candles,  coal  or  other  fuel,  or 
indeed  on  any  other  article  in  the  united^ates,  except- 
ing only  about  five  pence  fterling  on  dillilled  fpirits. 

<*  That  the  yfmericans  could  not  have  tradedwith  :ht  French 
before  the  revolution  to  half  the  extent  they  did,  had  it 
not  been  for  the  fpecie  they  took/rom  the  Britifh  ijlands. 


if 


This  remark  is  apj^ied  by  the  writer  to  our  French 
Weft  India  trade.  To  judge  of  the  truth  of  it,  a  com- 
parifon  of  the  prefent  with  the  former  ftate  of  that 
branch  of  our  commerce  will  be  fufficient.  It  will  not 
be  doubted,  that  during  their  troubles,  and   (to  take  a 
^ece^t  term)  for  a  year  preceding  the  firft  day  of  May 
lait,  our  imports  and  exports  firom  and   to  the  French 
Weft   Indies,  were  greater  than  in  any  yeaf  b^Sre  the 
war.  Yet  oup:  veflels  could  not  procure  fpede  in  the  Bri- 
tifli  idands,  being  prohibited  from  entering  them.  Pick- 
led and  dried  fiih,  beef,  rice,  Indian  cprn,  oats,  beans, 
peas,    onions,   llndian  meal,    boards,  plank,  fcantling, 
ihingles,  handfpikes,  oars,  fquare  timber,  0aves,  head, 
ing,  hoopr,,uorfcs,  live  ftock,  poultry,  boats,  and  veiTels, 
(6r.  to  an  amount  greater  than  the  ihipnients  to  all  the 
Weft  India  iilands,  other  than  Britifli,  before  the  war, 
have  been  exported  to  the  French  iilands  within  the 
term  o^  one  year.  The  couffe  of  things,  in  feveral  rc- 
fpeftSy  will  probably  lefTen   our  importation  of  niela{res<: 
and  taffia,  (or  rum)   which  we  have  been  accuftomed 
|o  draw  from  thence.  Befides  beer  and  cider,   diftilled 
fpirits  are  now  made  from  fruit  apd  gfain,  in  fuch  quan? 


* 


te  of  thfi 
nc  obfer? 
raged  ip 
ition,  Cet- 
^  It  will 
iexions  to 
vho  h^ve 
hear  that 
duties,  nQ 
:ife&  upon 
er  fuel,  or 
cs,  except- 
fpirits. 

I  :he:  Trench 
did,  had  it 
fh  iJlandsJ' 

Dur  French 
'it,  a  com- 


diftillcd 
fuch  quan- 


per. 


C     77    3 

titles  as  to  conftitute  more  than  one  third  of  our  con, 
fuinjjcion  and  export  of  ftrong  liquors,  other  than  wincfl. 
Plentiful  harvells  of  fruit  neceffarily  increafe  the  manf)* 
fadure  from  that  inoredient  ;    becaufe    it  is  to*  pe. 
riihable  to  export.    Abundant  harvefts  of  grain,  or  low 
markets  abroad,  have  a  iimilar  effe^l  on  diifillation  from 
that  material.  The  meafures  of  the  national  aflembly  of 
|>'rance,  in  regard  to  tobacco,  will  add  to  the  many  ob'. 
jjedions  which  before  exifted  againft  the  ufual  cultivation 
of  it.  Barley,  rye,  and  oats,  from  which  the  grain -li^ 
quors  are  principally   made,  as  alfo  wheat  and  Indian 
jcorn,  will  be  produced  in  much  larger  quantities,  ihould 
we  decline  the  cultivation  of  tobacco  in  any  confiderable 
degree.  If  we  continue,  after  a  fhort  time,  to  import 
(cfaoice  rums,  brandies,  and  arrack,  to  the  amount  of  fiv« 
per  cent,  on  our  whole  coniumption,  and  manur<i(^ur& 
the  remainder,  which  will  require  four  millions  of  bufh- 
els  of  barley,  rye,  and  oats,  and  more  fo  far  as  we  make 
beer,  we  fhall  want  lefs  funds  abroad  for  the  purchafe  of 
melaifes,  and  we  (half  confirm  the  ability  we  have  fhown, 
to  carry  on  a  trade  with  the  French  iflands,  greater  than 
formerly,  vtithoutjpecie  taken  from  the  Britijh  Weji  JndieSp 

f*  That  tht  united  ftates  loft  much  by  the  feparO^  from 

Great  Britain.** 

THIS  is  an  opinion,  which  it  was  very  natural  for  an 
Englilh  writer  in  1783  to  ar'opt.  It  was  difficult  at  that 
time  to  compare,  /ith  the  requifite  certainty  and  pre- 
ciiion,  the  benefits  in  point  of  pecuniary  advantage, 
which  the  united  ftates  might  hare  reafonably  expeaed 
in  a  colonial,  and  in  an  independent  fituation.  It  would 
be  more  eafily  and  better  done  at  the  prefent,  but  can* 
not  be  attempted  at  large  in  this  place.  Some  ideas  on 
^e  fubjeft,  however,  may  ferve  to  evince  the  error  of 
the  aflertion. 

It  is  true,  that  by  the  feparation  of  the  two  countries^ 
the  united  ftates  incurred  a  debt  of  about  /.  15,000,000 
fterling,  which,  however,  was  entirely  fpent  in  the  coun* 
try,  as  was  a  great  part  of  the  French  and  Brid'h  ex» 


m 


t   78   3 

riditures.  Great  Britain  increafed  her  public  debt^ 
the  fame  time,  1 15,000,000!.  The  whole  expenfe  to 
lioth  fides  ap'^rs  then  to  be  about  /.  130,000,000  iter*, 
ling.  There  is  the  ftrongeft  probability,  from  the  ra- 
pidity  of  the  increafe  of  the  British  debt,  which,  in  lefs 
than  a  ctntuiy,  grew  up  from  inthing  to  ^.270,000,000 
and  which  is  in  the  prefent  year  fweUino;  to  a  larger  fize, 
that,  without  the  American  war,  the  Britifh  nation 
would  have  been  burdened  on  this  day  with  at  leail  two 
hu^ed  millions.  Confiderini^  the  rate  in  which  the 
obje^s  of  taxatinn  cr  means  oi  revenue  have  increafea 
in  this  country,  vhf:re  isreafon  to  believe,  that  by  this  time 
wefliould  h»\'  ;iieen  though  cable  to  endure  a  proportion 
of  the  vays  a':d  means  requifite  to  fuf^rt  that  debt, 
equal  D  cjr  xmmbers ;  this  would  have  been  above  one 
fourth  :"  ry\t  wl  oie,  or  fifty  millions  fterling,  and  is  three 
and  oi  V  third  iimies  our  prefent  debt.  It  may  be  faid, 
•we  pai '  no  hich  contribution  ;  and  the  aifertion,  by  re- 
ference to  the  former  public  accounts,  would  appear  on 
paper  to  be  true  :  but  we  were  injurioufly  retrained, 
in  regard  to  the  fources  of  our  fupplies,  and  the  vents 
of  our  produce  and  manufadhires  ;  we  were  prohibited 
from  the  labour-faving  modes  oi  manufaifhiring ;  and  it 
is  too  plaif  the  prohibitions  would  have  been  continued. 
The  impoft  went  into  the  Britifh  treafury  ;  our  lands 
yrere  fubjed  to  quit-rents,  which,  belonging  to  the  crown, 
have  either  fallen  to  the  prefent  government,  or  have 
been  entirely  abolii^ed.  The  efieSs  of  the  commercial 
monopoly  were  prodigious.  It  may  be  (Irikingly  ex- 
emplified in  the  fingle  article  of  tea.  We  have  already 
feen,  that  we  imported  above  three  miltos  of  pounds 
in  the  year  following  Auguil  178;.  tli^  medium 
price  of  fine  and  coarfe  teas  was  abcve  one  third  of  a 
dollar  more  favourable  to  us  in  1790,  than  in  1774  ; 
by  which  a  difference  of  a  million  of  dollars,  and  the 
whole  impoft  on  the  article,  are  faved  to  the  country. 

The  facility  of  naturalization  under  our  prefent  laws, 
J^  very  much  in  favour  of  the  introduction  of  people, 
and  of  arts,  manufadlures,  and  capital  from  foreign 
^Quntries.  Lands  may  be  held  in  almdl  every  ^(e,  anf| 


i  79  i 

his  occupation  or  trade  may  bepuHiied,  immediate^  ^ 
the  arrival  of  an  emigrant.  A  term  much  fliorter  thiH 
that  prefcribed  by  the  Britifli  ftatute  before  the  revo^ 
lution,  entitles  him  to  all  the  benefits  of  citizenfliip.  It  is 
impoffible  to  ellimate  the  value  of  tins  circtimftance  to  a 
country  fo  well  calcubted  to  induce  emigration,  to 
fupport  an  increafed  population,  and  to  employ  capitid 
and  artificers,  as  the  united  dates. 

Lord  Sheffield  obferves,  that  the  Britiih  ellablifhment 
in  this  <;puntry  gave  it  an  advantage  of  /. 370,000  fter- 
Ung  per  annum.  He  ihould  not  have  omitted  to  men-' 
tion,  that  great  part  of  this  fum  was  expended  on  the 
Floridas,  Canada,  and  Nova  Scotia :  and  it  is  to  be  ob- 
ferved,  that  many  of  the  articles  were  imported,  and  not 
of  our  production  or  manufadure.  The  mereconfumption 
of  BHtilh  and  Irilh  goods  by  rhe  Britiih  and  Iriih  officers, 
foldiers,  and  f^uiors,  Rationed  or  employed  here,  %aa\d 
not  benefit  the  people  of  America,  it  is  paft  a  doubt, 
that  the  fales  of  the  lands  alone,  which  have  fallen  to  the 
dates  and  to  the  general  government,  have  yielded 
annually  a  larger  uim  by  the  purchafes  of  citizens  and 
foreigners.  The  euftoms  and  quit-rents  wuft  alfo  have 
been  a  fliU  reimburfement.  But  it  is  unneceflfary  to 
dwell  longer  on  this  article  ;  for  whatever  m:^  have 
heetk  the  former  opinions  of  nuuiy  in  the  two  coitotries 
concerning  it,  the  fubjedt  is  at  this  time  fo  illumined^ 
and  preju^ce  and.  milconception  are  fo  completely  doof 
away,  that  no   perfons  of  judgment  and  information 
now  believe,  "  the  united ftates  have  hft  by  thefeparation 
from  Great  JBritMn."  It  is,  however,  true  that  the  Ame- 
rican ftatest  were  in  a  train  of  prolperity  before  the  re- 
volution, which  promifed  greater  wealth  and  happitiefs 
than  appeared  to  await  the  people  of  any  other  country^. 
Lord  Sheffield  might  reafonably  eflimate  their  profpeds 
very  highly.  To  inl'urc  the  expeftedprofperity,  however, 
it  was  deemed  theoretically   v^g^^>  ^^^^  ^^^  provincial 
parliaments  (the  executive  head  of  the  empire  by  himfelf 
or  a  reprefentative  and  the  legiflative  houfes  of  each) 
fhould  ena6l  all  laws.  Thounhiomeconccinons  to  what 


» ■  '    ,' 


"r 


*f 


ife 


'■» .  *■ 


A  confidered.M  "/^  neceffity  rftht  eqpt,**  were  fiarii* 
^  made,,  linwting  the  pradlical  extenfion  of  ;hi8  foond 
jicdry,  yet  it  is  pl«in,  that  unlefs  it  could  have  been 
fiibilantially  adhered  to,  in  the  adminiftration  of  the 
Atncricaa  govermpejits,  no  reliance  ^uld  have  bee^ 
fhced  on  the  continuance  of  that  deg^  of  profperityi 
which  exited,  nor  on  the  atuinment  of  that  height, 
which  circuinftincei  otbefwife  promifed.  The  wonderful 
advancemcn|pf  Great  Britain  in  almoft  every  piyrticiilar^ 
except  her  public  debt,  during  the  pcefent  century, 
and  the  comparatively  jmall  progrefs.  of  Ireland  in  this 
iametenn,  alford  a  ftriking  example  of  what  might  have 
happened  to  this  country,  and  furnilh  the  beft  reafonv 
Iftlielieye,  that  .the  united  ftates  (as  to  mere  emolument) 
\safn^  gained  prodigioufly  by  commuting^lbr  th#.great 
mp$e  and  wtdelined  power  of  two  leglJllative  bodies, 
P(^  rival  and  effetdially  foreign,  the  advantages  of 
rning  themfelves  in  all  ref(^£b,  according  to  the 
jnnident  di£btes  of  their  own  intereib.  As  to  the  moris 
lii^x)rtant  article,  of  m  genuine  free  con^titut'tQn,  unex* 
MMrated  by  fwiitical  eiithufiafm,  and  unvitiated  by  any 
aUoying  ingredients,  America  may  with  modeUy  affirm^ 
that^bp  is  neacer  to  that  primary  <itje&  if  human  defrtf 
dian  me  would  have  been  in  the  pofleifion  of  the  mM& 
flvoorable  ground,  which  her  beft  friends  iii  Britain  ever 
proofed  for  her  before  the  reparation^ 


f  ». 


^IXTH    KUMB£R^ 


,'fJ5" 


IT  was  intiinatedy  in  a  pMcedmg  mrt  of  theTe  papefi, 
that  the  ubitied  ftates  have  not  inftained  any  lofs  in 
the  hnpOrtaiit  article  of  fhip-building^  which  it  is  prg* 
fokd  now  to  ihoW^  ih  treating  of         - 

Ships  Mhfir  ortbtary  commerce^  a/idfif  f<de, 

.  THiS  branch  w^  6f  <;on(klerable  value  to  '%t_  united 
'ftates  before  the  revolution.  Its  iinportanM^|k{»pean 
greater  how,  whetlicr  it  be  viewed  wira  fegsiK  to  the 
iticreafed  quantity  (for  there  ap{)ear5  gbod  reaf^on  to 
think  it  coQ^derabi)^  mcreafed)  or  ^>"i'i^e6^^i^^jfae 
enhanced' value  of  merchant  ihips  to  an  indenalf^^tanj'' 
maritime  country^  Thfe  quantity  built  in  the^  i^^tli,  on 
the  average  of  1/60,  1770,  and  1771,  which  are  tffl 
lat^ft  years  in  lora  Sheffield's  tables,  was  21,726  tons. 
An  account  equally  minute,  for  any  recent  ter^,  has  not 
been  Obinned ;  bi^  it  isknoWrt.  that  in  fifty.threecuftom 
houfe  dft-i^ls  (and  thei'e  are  nfceen  more,)  29,606  tons 
of  Hiip^ng  were  built' bi^ween  the  fotirth  day  of  March 
I7p0;  and  the  fourth  day  of  March  1791.   This  is  W 

M 


* 


■5? 


C     8J    ] 

lievec!  to  be,  in  many  inftances,  the  tonnage  paid  for  t« 
the  carpenters ;  andj,  in  thofe  cai'es,  is  iefs  than  tlie  vefielt 
really  meafure  ;'  as  they  are  a  body  of  worldnen,  who 
generally    deal  liberally.     The  remaining  fifteen  dif- 
tri^ts  will  not  be  found  to  have  built  in  proportion  to  the 
fifty. three,  whole  prefent  building  isttated:  but  the  quan^' 
tity  already  known^  is  coniideraoly  beyond  the  medium 
of  lord  SliefHeld's  tables,  tor  1760  to  1771,  above  men- 
tioned.  In  the  cafe  of  New  York,  the  whole  is  known, 
and  is  two  iMHidred  and  thirty-eight  tons  moire  than  the 
former  tables.    In  New  Jeriey,   the  building  in  fome 
diitridb  is  unknown,  and  the  differeiKe  is  two  hundred 
and  eighty -eight  tons  in  favour  of  the  late  return.  InCon^ 
iiedlicur,  the  whole  of  the  buildiag  is  flated,  and  it  is  five 
hundred   and   thirty-four  tons  in    favour  of  the  latter 
term.   In  Peuiifylvania  and  Delaware^  the  whole  isalfo 
W^      known,  *^  and   the  late  return  exceeds  the  former  by 
9,900  tbns.  Ill  North  Carolina,  a  return  of  three  diAriA» 
(out  of  hve)  only  is  obtained  ;  and  ii  exceeds  the  former 
average  by  nme  hundred  and  twenty-five  tons.  Intheitate 
of  Hhode  illatul,  the   whole  is.  ^f^ertained,  and  it  e»> 
ccedb  the  former  average  by  about  one  hundred   tons. 
The  port  of  Baltimore  alone,  in  Maryland,  exceeds  all 
tihe   fhip^uilding  of  that  ilate,  iu  the  greatefl  of  the 
ihree  years,  by    near  one   huntired    per    cent.    The 
xeSeli,  built  iu'  ConnecUcut,    in  tiie  returned  year,  are 
forty  per  cent,  more  than  the  medium  of  lord  Sheffield's 
tables ;  aud  Mailachufetts  exceeds  the  former  medium  by 
3,713  tpos.  * 

It  is  true,  however,  that  thii  buHnefs  in  one  of  the  prin- 
.  dpal  building  dates,  has  fallen  off;  but  there  many  of 
f  he  vefleisy  intended  for  iale,  were  ufually  built ;  and  it 
is  admitted  by  lord  Sheffield,  that  thoie  were  our  worft 
veiTek.  It  is  material  to  the  imiced  dates,  and  CF>titles  us 
fo  A  lar^r  crpd^it  in  an  accurate  eliimation  of  things, 
that  much  M^cre  of  our  military  Hores,  cordage,  twine, 
nails,  and  fpikes,  fail  cloth,  plumbers'  work,  refin,  fpi- 
rits  of  turpentine;  linfeed  oil,  paints,  brafs  an^  copper 
work,  and  otjier  Iefs  important  articles  exp^ended  in 
bmlding  and  arming  Ihips,  are  of  the  produce  and  manu* 

'iff  .  - 


^ 


> 


lid  for  t« 
he  vefiblt 
len,  who 
Ftecn  dif- 
tion  to  the 
the  quan<* 
e  medium 
>ove  men- 
is  known, 
e  than  the 
g  in  fome 
0  hundred 
rn.lnCon>' 
[id  it  is  five 
the  latter 
hole  isalfa 
former  by 
ret  diftnA» 
the  former 
In  the  itate 
and  it  e»> 
idred   tons, 
exceeds  all 
teft  of  the 
cent.    The 
year,  are 
Sheffield's 
medium  by 

-if 

)f  the  prin- 
jre  many  of 
jilt ;  and  it 
our  worft 
pFttitles  us 
of  things, 
kge,  twine, 
refm,  fpi- 
aiijl  copper 
[{Hbnded  in 
laud  manu^ 


t    »3    1 

faAure  of  the  country,  than  was  the  cafe  !n  1771.  It  is 
alfo  an  important  truth,  that  much  greater  numhers  of 
/Toreign  velfels  are  repaired,  altered,  luppHed  w  ith  curd. 
i)ge  and  fail  cloth,  painted  and  otherwiie  wrought  upon 
by  our  various  workmen,  th^  money  for  which,  may  be 
fairly  carried  to  the  account  of  this  branch. 

At  the  time  when  lord  Sheffield  wrote,it  was  not  known 
how  much  the  oak  of  Great  Britain  had  detrenfied.  We 
have  already  noticed  this  point ;  and  it  may  be  further  re- 
marked,  that'it  cannot  but  decre^ile  yet  more,  as  the  fup- 
plies  of  oak  from  the  Baltic,  are  often  intercepted  by  the 
competition  of  Prullia,  Sweden,  Denmark,   Huiiia,  Por- 
tugal, Holland,    Spain  and  France,  all  but  the  Hrit  of 
which  vigorouQy  maintain  their  naval  power ;  andPrufHa 
has  become  very  conliJerable   in  private    fliips.    Lord 
Sheffield  thinks  that  the  cheapnefs  of  American  (hipping 
arofe    from   their  being  ill-found  and  deticient  in  iron. 
There  is  little  doubt  that  the  extreme  cheapnefs  of  thofe 
built  for  fale,  was  occailoned  partly  by  the  caufe  he  men- 
tions :  but  the  beft  double-decked  or  galley-built  fliip?, 
with  live-oak  lower  timbers,,  and  red-cedar  top-timbers, 
with  white-oak  plank  on  their  bottoms,  and  either  that 
timber   or  the  yellow  pine  for  their  fides,  can  be  built 
and  fitted  for  taking  in  a  cargo,  at  thirty-four  dollars, 
or  £.7  13s.   fterling  per  ton;  and  as  good  a  veffel  can- 
not be  procured  in  Great  Britain,  France   pr  HpUand, 
'   under  fifty -five  to  fixty  dollars* . 


*  The  (npert  of    the  Britlfh   fot'iet^    for  naval  archite£lure 
admit,  that  fliipi   fit  for  the  Eaft  India  fervice  are  advanced  in 
their  coft,  fince  1771,  forty  fttillings  fterling,  nearly  equal  to  nine 
dollars,  per  ton }  that  timber  it  confiJerably  dimioilhed  in  quan- 
tity, and  enhanced  in  value,   in  the  Inft  twenty   years— that  the 
body  of  working  fhipwrights,  in  1789,   were  much  inferidr  to 
thofe  of  twenty  yean  back }  and  that  the  late  a6ls  of  parliament 
refpef^l^  regifters  of  (hips  and  other  regulations  intended  to  in- 
creaie  iliiti(h  fliipbuilding,  had   not  operated  in   their    favour^ 
Profit^1>le  employment  for  vety  expenfi've  and  numerous  (hips  cai^ 
npt  be  created  and  extended  by  a  mere  legislative  yfa/. 


■«        * . 


.  »,.v  *.:.:... 


..•^ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


/, 


{/ 


'ks 


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4^' 


1.0 


I.I 


2.2 


Hi 

m 
m, 


14.0 


20 


11-25  i  1.4 


IE 

1.6 


Hiotographic 

Sdences 

Corporation 


23  WIST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MSSO 

(716)872-4503 


v 


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4!^'t^\ 


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4 


»♦ 


♦ 


t    »4    3 

As  tbe  buUdiog  of  coafting  aAd  fiihing  veflelsy.^^ts  in 
jiew  forois  iiv  ow  ipiprciving  m^f^^  navigation,  vdlcll 
onvzrvjmcosittmffkmBfpvj^  and  for  a  very 

iivtrfi^d  forqgn  trade,  will  n<9|t  qfly  )ce^  the  art  ^ 
ihipbml(Ui)g>t  its  pfektft  hei^t,  but  wiU  advanpe'  it  in 
all  re^iecb,  it  apgpv9  to  be  Y«iy  dp^li^fnl,  Whetber  yre 
{kixM  anxiou%  defare  to  fupiiiy  forl^ers'  with  itidb 
chei^  nieans  of  riv^lJ^g  us  ki  the  C9rrying  trade  and 
fiflieries.  Qiv  tbip  and  £c»t  yards  9re  not  confiojed  to  a . 
ipot,  but  indeed  aire  more  difiufed  th^n  formerly^  "B)eii0 
is  no  itite  wbde  citizens  do  not  pucfue  the  bii(iii.e6«  and 
It  19  conunenced  upon  the  wefiem  waters^*  Bel^re  ib^ 
revolunon,  abpve  nf|}f  our  vq(^ls  were  paid  for  by  a 
lyarter  of  credit  izpods  f qr  the  labour  and  fkill  of  the  as> 
4»ficer ;  inftead  oT which  be  now  niore  £^equenUy  receivtip 
Veddy  payments  in  fcM  coin.        •  ■  -  . 


**Tbat  ibe  in^orts  and  exports  if  the  umted  ft^es  vuU 
cmt^m/or  a  kif^  tinnf  tkejame"  :' 

.  t^BIS  will  be  fpuif^  pn  examination  very  enroneouy. 
iAMi>^P^1^9^9reJhipi)edin  an  incneaied  ratio  cf 
Nineteen  to  four.  Thp  Am^ican  mercbiintt  ;were  once 
^reat  ^cppners  of  i|*pn,  hen^p,  ra;^r  bides,  and  other  ar- 
pdes^  whif^  they  now  import  in  large  quantities.  Tbe 
importations  of  courife  linens,  paper,  hats,  ihoes,  fteely 
nails,  carriage^  maft  liquors  and^niany  p;hf:r  articles  aj^ 
confiderabW  reducctl.  $b<)i^d  impediments'  be  thrown  ib 
the  way  of  our  fifheries,  ilJdipping  and  foreign  commerce, 
pdicy,  intereft  and  feeling  will  pronipt  lis  to  purfue  with 
ideciHon  and  ardour  the  oE^feA  of  mamfadlm^si'^hkh 
Will  give  employment  to  our  own  capital,  aUd  that,  whicJl 
Ve  may  denve  frqiii  foreigners.  It  pnuft  be  maqifeft,  for 
tea^ample,  that  if  we  are  to  receive  rum  in  foreign  hot* 
toms,  and  t»be  refufed  the  tranQx)rtation  of  ine  flour 
an^graki,  which "^rie  wanted  in  returu,  we  fliall  not 
long  continue  to  ufe  foreign  fpirits.  Otir  brewe»,;idrea(ly 
^pply  us  with  more  beer  than  we  confiime.  I!%  more 
thah  70,000  gallons  and  17,500  doxen  bottles  haye  been 
impifiirted  in  an  entire  year^i  exuding  in  Auguit  1 790;^  thee 


«?    * 


# 


tfajM^  which  quantity  is  made  with  eafe,  hy  a  findb 
lMt«W««7»  011 »  Very  mqcteratt  fcak,  'Ihis  hr^Bcliiuu  IC 
creafed  and  flouriflied  ia  the  Jaft  two  years,  and  an  ex* 
porution,  mater  than  the  importatioa  above  dated,  has 
fcertainly  m^  pbce.  The  hoiDe-madecfifty^d^fsai^ 
already  ipore  tl^  twke  as^ieat  in  gomdiy/as'  die  fjpL 
iricsiaBparted.  If  our  tobacco  fhipi  are  eKciudiRl  frooi 
France,  th^  wilt  not  bring  usbru^dfes;  aiul  tfiegi^^p 
nut  will  be  rai^  on  our  tobacco  bods,  wUl  yiel^^ri* 
tous  and  mak  Uc^r^  to  enable  us  lo  reiin^^  ^veig« 
brancfy'^  Should  a  conliderable  partdF  our  capita)  faefii^ 
ced  out  of  niyigation  luid  forngn  trade,  tfar  goveramea^ 
«rithout  inipofing,gv»«r4l^  heavy  protei^g  ^luies,  bili^ 
(lenfotec  to  the|iiatioR/  n^ty  give  employ unmr  ftr  iim 
^Dipney)  by  hbhtkig  out  e^»^aV  encouragement  ti^  turn 
hrimtih  <if  fmrmfa^it£s  at  a  time*  If  it  be  Mc&b^  w^ 
judgment — ^if  the  ufe  of  manual  labour  bbconfijnedwithhi 
as  narrow  limits  as  poflthle-Uf  hihoor-ftving  viadikiei 
be  ufed-^if  the  articlet  i^  woilui  OO)  be  made  free  of 
duty— if  the  growth  o^  them  be  encopi^^ged  at  home-— 
if  a  ooUyenient  nrosniOlive  (hity  be  itopo^,  there  can  % 
jitde  doubt  of  fiicc^sV  The  example  of  a  well^arrangMl 
and  fortunate  attempt  or^ce  fe^  others  will  naturally  n^ 
low ;  and  nations,  whcfe  poliddana  now  gnidgingkr 
perceive  them  talie  fpom'  u»  uk  food  they  are  unable  fo 
raife,  and  who  treat  asr  a  feroi^r  the  receptifip  of  our 
pisedous  ravvt  ma|^^t»,^ay  dlfeeveri  when  it  w^l  be  too 
late,  the  evils  iqdiiced  ^  ai|  over-dHv^n  fpirit  of'iBon»- 


^mrnm-^iv^ 


•*« 


thr?« 


:  Aff^r  a  very  ^wff^l  e(tiiiu|tc  of  a  l>tt(n^r  •f  ^  ll^<><^ 
hrai|ichiKV  ^f  Amffi^  i^ufa^uve,  th^  «frit«r  oC  tli|||i||^  docs 
vpt  heiit^Yip  xo^  aftrni^  tlUt  t|)c  ibpes  v4  bo^,  fft^ory  ^  oUwr 
^%|f»qf  Inthtf*  gui^fr^,  |ii\tfl^  Wf^jH  WP^  •»«»«»% 
plsyin|  cui^,  |p«ftcfH>ar4«  boo^ft,l^i«m  cs«t%  ai^  woqjtsnclotbv 
hofiery,  dirc^,  ^u^sj  wficliu^c^kttpacard^  watcher 

manufa^fes  of  $pll4,  Qi,y«$  icQO«  $^^»  braf9»  lead,  ppyrter,  aft# 
copper,  cordage,  twine,  fiul  cloth,^carriage«  of  all  kind*,  ^t  li- 
quors, new  fliips  and  bqs^t  l^tbefipi  gloves  and  breeches,  parcti- 

]itaent,  glue,  cabinet  wares,  lioreed  otl,  foap,  candies,  potafli,  difti|« 

'"'  •  ■  ..1  ■  f ■...,.-     .  .    . ,  -    , ,      '  ■    .  .      •  * 


.#^' 


I     96    i 

^  capacity  ^She^unfiedjiatcs  ittfupply  Ewope  with  gram 

imifixmr* 

A  fjKeqt  piibHcation  of  lord  Sheffield's,  upon  the  Aib- 
j|ed  of  the  Britifli.,  corn  irade,  has  lately  appeared  in 
ih»  country.  As  in  f'  ihe  obfervatidbs  on  our  com- 
inerce,^  foin  this  pamphlet,  he  endeavours  to  ihtt# 
fallacy  in  all  fuch  iifeis  as  favrour.tbe  importance  of  tlft 
jDuiited  ftates  to  Great  ^Britain.  As  ^this  examination  hte 
]9een  neceflarily  made  with  little  adherence  to  form  w 
order,  and  as  the  frotht^ion  and  copmterce  if  grain,  conftv 
lute,  without  any  exception,  the  moft  ^valuable  and  moft 
fcomiiianding  of  our  advantages^  it  will  not  be  improper, 
4to  taice  ibme  notice  of  this  new  atten^  of  his  Ic^flnp^s, 
|o  diflieminate  erroneous  information  and  xfiii^ionft  cm 
American  aiHkirs.  ■■  y-..,--.,^.  ''.:■.,:.'■.. 'i^.^-,  >;^ 

According  to  thelateft  of  his  taUes,ilie  American/)^ 
imfes,  in  i77o,jexported  bat  46,000  tonsjof  bread,  flour, 
and  meal,  578,349  buibels  of  Ind&n  ccvn,  24,850  bu(h* 
^  of  oats,  and  851,240  bufliels  of  wimt :  and  he  de- 
iires  it  to  be  believed,  that  the  united  fiates.wili  not  he 
able,  in  this  particular,  to  exceed  their  exportations  b^» 
fore  the  revolution.  The  return  of  exports*>  ib  ,pftea 
iaentioned,  contains  the  Mowing  articles^ , 

724,623  barrels  of  flour,       'J   .  —  v 

..     75,667  do.       of  bread,     ^-weighmg  77,000  tonit 
99>975  <*<>•       of  meal,      j  />  ;  J 

kd  fpiriti,  drugs  and  chemical  pi-eparatiQns,  and  eardicn  wa^e, 
limde  in  the  year  laft  paft,  exceed  tn  valtie  Che  mapufaiikured  |p>od8, 
wt^ich  Great  Britain  fliipt,  in  jthe  fame  tenn,  to  all  foreign  nations, 
W  the  united  ftates.  ItwiU  be  proper  to  obftrve  in  this  place, 
th^t  chocolate,  cheefe,  wafers,  ftarch,  hair  powder,  ivory  and  horn 
wires,  whips,  millenary,  ftays,  Wthdfor  chairs,  com  fans,  wheel- 
barrows,  fpitits  of  ||rpentine,  paints,  bruflies,g)ais  wares',  bricks, 
Hone  and  marble  waret,  repairs  of  veflels,  muftard,  loaf  fugar, 
lalt,  the  great  article  of  nuking  up  apparel,  coopers*  wares,  and 
other  things  of  th^  nature  of  manufaftures,  were  not  indud^  ia 
|the  cftimate  above  mentioned.  *  ,       '*' 

"^  "  f  See  appendix,  paper  B« 


iL .  't 


^ram 


fab^ 
Mi  in 
cool* 

iiiiijf 
»f  tne 
>nhto 
no  or 
:onftir 
imeft 

MhVs 
ms  oil 

in  /wp 
y  flour, 
nbuih* 
fit  dt^ 
not  be 
onsb^* 
^ftea 


I  torn. 


Inttionc, 

it  place* 

Imdhora 

whtd- 

bricktf 

|if  fugar, 

rc«)  and 

Ittded  m 


I    «7     1, 

1,124,458  buflidsof  wheat, 
^11,765  do.      of  rye, 


1,109^137  do. 

98,842  do. 

7,56a  do. 

ff- ',-  i  -■■•.    '■»  ■  • 


-  (of  which  article  ii^ 
wai  exported  iti  1770.) 
of  Iildian  com.. 

of  oats,  ..  *^ 

of  buclcwhedt,  (bf  which  alfo  ntjtd 

wasexpiAtedin  1770,) 
of  peas  and  beans,    (of  wljjch  allb 
none  was  exported  in  I770.) 
It  appears,  then,  that  on  comparing  the  aclcnowledged 
imports  of  bread  andHoar,  in  1770,  with  thofe  of  the 
prefent  time,  a  difference  of  50  pefr  cent,  is  (howh  in  ^- 
volir  of  our  agriculture,  and  that  we  Ihip  near  faiac 
iimes  tlie  quantity  of  Indian  com,  and  one-third  inore 
of  wheat^  befides  the  new  articles  of  beans,  peas,  isucki 
wheat  and  rye.  The  tobacco,  exported  iii  the  abovt 
term,  was  at  the  rate  of  36  percent,  per  annum  more 
than  bef(M%  the  reireluttdn,  befides  the  dificrence  in  the 
quantity  now  manufaAured.    Many  circumfhnces  are 
combining  to  tum  the  attention  of  the  planters  of  this 
article  in  the  grain  dates,  towards  wheat,  barley,  oats, 
and  Indian  corn.   This  is  not  a  new  idea  in  American 
farming;  for  although  wheat  was  much  lower  before  the 
revolution  than  it  now  is,  the  ctdtivation  of  td)acco  in 
Virdria  and  Maryland,  was  aduaOy  declining.  The  more 
foutnern  (tates  had  not  then  attempted  thie  produdion  of 
this  article  to  a^y  confiderable  <ex|e|>t.  The  lands,  which 
prodnced  the  above  extra  quantity  of  tobacco,  would 
have  yielded   800,000  bulhels  of  wheat;  the  labour 
would  have  produced  more;  and  fuppofmg  that  half  the 
foil  and  induftiy,  which  were  a{^lied  to  tobacco  in  1781^, 
ihould.be  appropriated  to  grain, an  addition  of  1,400,000 
bufhels  might  be  made  to  our  productions  of  that  article. 
To  iupply  the  tobacco,  fome  of  the  rich  lands  of  the 
more  iouthem  dates  mieht  be  employed  in  its  cultivation. 
But  lord  Sheffield  tells  »ie  people  of  #ritaiii-with  great 
gravity,  that  only  the  weftern  parts  of  Connedicut,  and 
the  ftates  of  New  York,  New  Jerfey,  Delaware,  Penn- 
fylvania   Maryland,  and  Virginia,  are  capable  of  yield- 
k\g  wheat,  tie  ihould  have  added,  that  thofe  ilates  coii%^ 


> 


pan  twice  a«  much  hind  as  the  kio^ndoms  of  Great  Bri« 
tain  and  Ireland,  thofe  iflands  being  computed  at  left 
than  iob,ooo  (quaife  miles  by  tbeii^  own  geographert^, 
The  ftatcs  of  New  Jerfey,  Delaware,  and  MuylancI, 
fdgeiher  with  ihree^fifths  of  Pennfylvania,  three-fifths 
it  t^ew  York,  and  abodt  one^half  of  Virginia,  tf  whkh 
Be^fuflltkntly  near  to  naturalfy  navigable  wkter,  to  raife^ 
^rain  fi»t  exportation,  contain  above  130,006  fqoare 
nilles.  Kentucky;  North  Carolina,  and^  wdlem  parts 
IMF  South  Carolina  and  Georgia;  and  Vermont,  will  alfi* 
add  conliderably  to  our  exports  of  grain^  when-  nullr^ 
Canals,  ^c  fhall  encoivage  the  mwth  and  facilitate  th^ 
tranfportation.  But  the  ftate  of  populadou  is  the  poihit 
to  which  candour  and  jud«nent  ought  to  have  led  a  polK 
l&al  economic):  to  advert,  lie  ihonld  have  rdie£ied>  that 
i3ie  united  flates,  whofe  torttory  is  about  a  millicnt  of 
Iqoare  miles,  are  not  yet  cultivated  and  hibabited,  by 
itiore  than  4,000,000  people* ;  diat  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland,  with  about  a  tenth  of  the  land  (or  100,000 
Iq^are  miles)  have  twke  the  agricultu^  populai^^  | 
9nd  that  the  productive  powers  of  this  country,  (#bicli 
a|ipear$  to  have  doubled  its  people  in  25  years,  wougft 
wjured  by  eight  years  of  a  deftru^ve  tfn*,)  are  «  meim 
^  human  fuftemnce^  to  which  the  more^dent  nation! 
of  Europe  virill,and  to  whklt  all,  ia  the  time  of  aeed^ 
null  have  recourfe^^Jir  their  govemmenti  prevent  it^ 
many  of  their  naanufliiarers  at  leaft  muftlBeefrOm  them^ 
"[irhe  fuprenie  law  of  neceflity  will  have  its  due  Operation^ 
aoid  people, whofe  means  arer^dered,  by  injudiciouis  re* 
jplationS,  une<]paal  to  their  wants,  will  certainly  refOrt 
to  thofe  fcenes  where  cheaper  food  and  better  wages  m* 
iox^  them  relief. 

It  is  manifeft  that  the  great  increitfe  of  our  pfdpnlatioii 
1^  been  attended  with  a  very  (ionfiderable  adokion  to 
•ur  exports  of  eatables.  The  ilatement  niad^  in  the  be* 
ginning  of  tluu  obfervations,  on  this  ardcle>  is  a  proof  of 


.   •  The  aftual  linmber  of  the  inhaUtadts  of  the  unittid  fldMi  ap» 
fcars  to  be  from  3)900,000  to  4,oco«ooo.  Set  appendixy  pap<r_A» 


{  h  i 

JR.  Befidies  this,  our  fliipments  of  beef  and  pof^,  Hf^ 
tbove  two  an4  a  half  times  greater  than  in  1776,  of  but- 
JI0t  four  timesy.pf  cheefe  two  and  a  half  times,  of  pora- 
ioes  four  times,  gnd  of  rice  nearly  as  great.  Add  to  this, 
ihat  we  have  ^ihoft  put  an  end  to  the  hnportation  <:f 
malt  liquors,  (a  manufa^are  from  grain,)  and  that  w« 
ibip  as  much  of  them  as  we  imDort-«'-that  we  have  dimi- 
niOied  our  importation  of  diftilted  fplrits,  fay  a  million  of 
gallons,  (iiice  we  lo(t  the  importation  of  wtifti  rum  in 
,our  own  yeffels  (thopgh  qur  population  is  aore  numc;,; 
,rous  faya  million  and  an  half  of  perfbns)  which  has  oc. 
cafioned^the  diftillation  of  ^ain  liquors  to  the  am#urtt 

Erobably  of   4,000,000    gallons,  .requirii||;    2,000,000 
ufhelsof  grain. 

Our  continviing  to  ejcport  Co  lar^e  quantities  of  graifi 
and  flour,  notwithftauding  this  great  cohfumptionbf  rye, 
i>arley,  oats,  and  even  wheat  in  diftiliing  and  brewings 
is  a  itrong  proof  of  our  railing  much  more  than  in  for- 
mer times.  But  it  is  not  to  be  forgotten^  that  conlidera- 
ble  quantities  are  confined  by  our  mamff^btf'ersi  who 
are  rapidly  increannjg.  It  is  extremely  difficult  to  tfceri^ 
fain  the  |>roportioQ  in  which  thefe  vaitiable  citfasens  coq.^ 
itribute  to  the  population  of  our  towns.  Their  numberjs 
in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  may  h^lp  to  furnifli  ibme 

f  round  for  a  reafonable  ^im^j^e*     The  fiiverfmiths, 
rewers,  diftillers,  fhip-carpenter||!^-abinet-makers,  cord- 
vrainers,  tallow-chapdlers,  foap-bdnbrs,  white  and  bladk- 
liuiths,  fteel-makcrs^  turners,  braziers,  coachmakers,  cop. 
perfmiths,    hatters,  tailors,    weavers;  .d^qrs,    leather 
Breeches  malcd*s,  glovers,  andiuch  0ther  perfons  as  may 
be  nroperly  clafleo  under  the  head  ol mctmfa^urers  (ex,- 
elouvely  (^  houfe  carpenters,  mafijns,  jpainters,  vi£tuj(l- 
jlers,  bakers,  barbers,  and  others,  who  caninot  be  corredly 
^denominated  fo)  appe^  to  be  about  2,200  pt9:^s.  '^k 
city  aud  fuburbs  b«ng  found  to  contain  near  43,000  aien, 
tvomen,  and  child^n,  and  it  .betrig  ffenqrally  fi^ppofed^ 
jthatthe  adult  males  are  about  one-nfth  of  the  whole 
jnumber,  it  would  appear,  that  of  the  8,600  adult  niales^ 
Contained  in  Philadelphia,  above  one-fourth  are  manju- 
fa£ture^^  and  cionfcqjiently,  that  of  the  eatables,  ax^ 


#; 


bome-roadr  drinkablei,  confumed  in  that  tpwii)  above 
one-fourth  are  required  for  their  uib  and  that  of  their 
wives,  children,  journeymen,  apprcnticea,  and  fervantsf 
an  addition  for  the  grain  confiiRied  by  their  horf^s  and 
cows  may  be  fairly  made.  Thisilate  of  things,  it  is  be« 
lieved,  is  exceeded  by  many  of  the  towns  in  the  eafterri 
ftates,  and  in  fome  interior  fituations,  where  it  is  manifeU 
that  fewer  are  employed  in  the  learned  profeflioiMj  and 
foreign  commercip,  and  not.  fo  many  live  upon  their  in? 
comes. 

It  will  not  be  pretended*  that  the  united  ftates  are  abl^ 
40  feed  all  the  natbns  .of  {Europe,  nor  that  they  afford 
any  promife  of  fo  extenfive  a  capacity  in  future.  Neither 
are  fuch  ideas  conveyed  by  the  reprefenution  of  th<s 
committee  of  the  Britiih  privy  council,  on  which  lord 
Sheffield  fo  vehemently  animadverts.  They  reprefent, 
as  tlie  refult  of  a  careful  and  deliberate  enquiry,  their 
convi^on,  that  the  countries  of  Europe,  taken  coUec^ 
tively,  do  not  produce,  in  ordinary  years,  an  aggregate 
quantity  <^  grain,  larger  than  itrhat  appears  requifite 
•for  the  cpnfqmption  of  their  inhabitants :  and  they  pro- 
ceed to  obierve,  that  iq  the  event  of  ^  failure  of  crops, 
a  fupply  can  only  be  had  frpm  America.  The  reafonablf 
nieaning  of  their  repirefditation  is,  that  as  fHurppe  is  ao 
extenfive  and  populous  region,  makine  great,  conftant, 
and  inevitable  demands  for  food,  producmg  in  ordinary 
feafons,that  is,  ufually,  a  mere  competent  fupply,  but  tneX' 
cefs,  and  is  liable  to  partiai  and  even  general  fmturej  of 
crops,  it  muft,  in  the  event  of  one  of  thofe  partial  or  ge- 
neral misfortunes,  lode  to  Tonie  other  quarter  of  the 
world  for  relief.  With  the  exception  of  oarbafy,  whofe 
capacity  to  fupply  appears  to  be  much  more  limited  than 
ours,  no  other  country  than  America  coiild  pf  efent'  itfetf 

t the  committee.  Great  allowances  (hould  have  been 
de  for  thofe  gentlemen,  by  lord  Slie^eld,  admitting 
for  a  moment  they  were  wrong,  as  it  appears  probable 
th^  may  have  been  mifled  by  iieveral  parts  of  his  trea- 
tife  on  our  commerce,  which  really  tend  to  confirm  theif 
doctrine.  In  that  publication,  under  the  head  of  viheaf 
mndflwr^  he  obferves^  "  that  Canada,  Nova  Scotia,  a^^ 


and 


or  ge- 

whoff 
than 

ktitfelf 
been 

utting 

)bable 

trea- 

theif 

\v/heaf 


I    91    1 

tU  AmerkmJjtMts  are  likely  to  hive  moll  of  the  com 
trade  whkh  England  had.*'  Our  ibppliei  /o  Nova  Sco« 
l^  have  been  dated  {  and  nf  tbty  tart  gdmttt4fr¥H  m 
my  y>km  meeffit^  repdres  them,  the  exifting  lioenft  of 
the  governor  of  that  province  to  IntrodiKe  Americai) 
floiir»  grauny  and  live  ftock  Ihra^h  the  whoie  rfthtfltmmtr 
(l  i>d  indeed  from  May  to  November)  when  thtnaviati^ 
if  (Q4Md0  it  ofen,  will  anfwer  our  enqulrlei  about  the  ca4 

gijcity  of  thole  provinces  to  take  away  the  .corn  tradil 
om  {England.  Under  the  fame  head,  and  on  the  follow^ 
ing  page,  he  further  fajrsy  <<  the  American  ftatet  were 
more  than  competthws  with  ui  for  tlie  wheat  trade  t  thty 
had  for  feme  yeart  engrofled  nearly  the  tuheJe  of  what  we 
had ;  and  It  is  computed,  upon  an  average  of  live  years* 
they  had  received  from  Spain  and  Portugal  upwards  of 
£»2W,ooo  Oerluig,  per  annum,  for  that  grain."  It  wiU 
Turely  bedeenaed  very  reafonable  \n  the  comnlttee  to 
fuppofe,  that  the  united  ftates,  which  were  dated  to  have 
fupplied  the  two  kingdoms  of  Spain  and  Portugal,  for 
.five  fucceflive  yeart*  with  wheat  aioMe  \o  the  amouut  of 
/. 320,000  fterling,  could  have  furniflied  to  Great  Britain 
the  lefs  fum  of  /.  291,000  fterling,  in  all  kinds  of  grain 
and  flour,  which  they  have  paki  to  foreign  nattons  for 
twenty  years  paft.  Under  the  head  of  **  Ihips  built  for 
fale,''  lord  Sheffiekl  again  confirms  the  ideas  of  the  com* 
juittee,  by  (ay  ing,  in  very  hatidfome  and  forcible  langoagt^ 
.<*  Amerka  had  robbed  us,  at  leaft  for  a  time,  of  a  corn 
trade,  that  fome  lime  ago  brought  in  to  us  as  much  as 
ahnoft  any  article  of  export/'  As  his  '  .^dlhip  Jmfldefs 
tBn  honeft  competitbn  of  fellow  citkens  <^  the  lf|;nt  of 
irobbery,  die  accuracy  of  his  other  conccpdons*  wiU*  no 
sdoubt,  be  duly  examined* 

*t  Lord  Sheffield  leadl  to  a  material  error^  tffeiXmfL  the 
juft  eftimation  of  our  com  trade,  when  he  ilates  toooao 
to  be  the  principal  artkle  of  American  comnierce.  Ir  &• 
t  pears,  by  the  return^of  the  treafitry,  that  fiour  is  tne 
.  mod  valuable  and  (exckiCively  of  thie  comie^ed  ankles 
.of  bread,  wheat  and  other  grain)  it  txcetdeiS  fobaccp 
'  hf  a  quariter  of  a  inillKm  of  dollars.  Wheat  (tiicludtng 
the  cooiiaodities  made  of  it)  is  one-third  more  valuable 


«/.1 


I '-» 


[  \ 


f   9«   1 

tti&n  tobacco  $  and  as  thU  laft  prodiiAiofi  appeanr  M  haw 
been  advanced  in  quantity^  36  per  cent,  on  a  comparifoit 
with  the  exportation  of  the  yiut  177O1  when  lord  She^ 
jleld  ftates  it  to  have  beeti  our  fifft,  tlit  incraafcd  im* 
portance  of  wheat  if  manifiBftec^ 

If  we  turn  oar  eyes  from  Gtc*i  Britain  to  other 
countries,  the  Amerinn  grain  tfade  does  not  Appear  to- 
be  lefs  interefting  to  Europe  and  her  colonief .  Spaing 
Portugal,  the  wine  iflands^  the  Bahamas,  Betrmtida,  tht 
iu^r  colonies,  the  northern  Bi<itifh  colonies^  and^ 
the  foreign  fiineries,  regularly  demand  from  cis  fome 
•f  the  various  articles,  lArhicn  it  comprehends.  The 
cultivation  cX  the  vine,  the  advancement  of  then*  co*' 
Ionics,  the  extenfion  tk  commerce,  and  the  faio'eafe 
•f  the  manofa£hires  of  France,  which  two  kift  ^ 
to  be  cxpc^lied  in  confequencc  of  the  revolution  in  tjiar 
kinffdom,  render  it  highly  probable  they  will  not  be  able 
to  CIO  without  iupplies  from  other  couiitines.  It  is  the 
opinion  of  their  bed  writers,  that  they  do  not  ordinarily 
export  mor«  than  one-fifteenth  ef  their  crop.  Should 
fti^  accident-»(lhe  introdu£tion  of  Britiib  and  Dutch 
BanufsdurerS,  whoave  accuftomed  to  beer,  for  exam« 
^e)^ead  them  into  breweries,  than  whidi  nothing  it 
more  poflible,  that  finall  proportien  of  ihrplus  would  be 
^ickly  engrofled.  There  is  an  idea,  on  this  point,  whkb 
.has  been  Mcently  ftarted,  and  which  may  attrad  the  at- 
tentkm  of  theif  pradical  politicians :  t^e  c»pink>n  refer- 
jied  to  is,  that  every  coun»y  which  n^anniaaures  largely, 
is  ii)  actuation  of  confiderably  left  danger,  if  its  people 
ordinarily  uie  drinks  made  .from  grain ;  becauie  the 
dreadful  confeqittences  of  famine  m»y  be  avekJed  with 
certainty  and  cafe,  by  converting  to  the  ufe  of  fbod,  the 
grain  whkh  witt  be  regularly  procured  from  agriculture 
or  importatioo,  tofopply  the  demands  of  the  iMrewers 
md  diftilleit.  The  Dutch  have  been  always  unable*  to 
vaife  more  tluin  a  finals  proportion  of  their  food ;  and 
the  modem  eftimates  of  their  population  countenance 
the  prefomption  of  a  large  increafe*  They  are,  moreo* 
ver,  great  brewers  and  dUlillers  from  g^in  :  and  their 
fugar  colonies,  on  thefomhem  main,  have  wonderfully 
advaacedw  Thefe  fyroptoms  of  new  demand,  on  the  part 


oBatV 
parifoii 

fed  im* 

»  other 

pea^  f 

SpaiiH 

da,  tht 

cH  fome 
t.  The 
heirccM 
increafe 
bft  ^ 

in  tW 
the  able 
[t  is  the 
rdinarily 

Should 
d  Dot^ 
r  exaniK 
sthing  it 
^eulabe 
whitb 


morto* 
id  their 
Illy 
Ithe  parr 


of  the  European  nations,  together  with  the  cetphi  fA 
^oifitiOns  of  grain  arifin|r  fihom  the  univerfal  ilmafe  of 
flianufafturai  and  attentfm*  to  foreign  trade,  are  acconii 
panied  by  fome  important  circomftances,  that  prevent  M 
proportionate  {jroou^^ion  of  that  indifpenfible  nece^ny. 
The  growth  ofpriTaie  wealth  in  many  parts  of  Europe^ 
l^rticolarly  in  Aritain,  the  confe^uent  incriafe  of  horfct 
for  eouipaffes  and  other  putpofes  cf  plealure|  the  layii^ 
(Mit  or  park  jgrowids,  and  the  diveHion  of  lands  from  mt 
tefs  prMhabJe  produftion  of  grain  to  that  of  grafs,  dift 
ideclenfion  of  arieeulture  in  ^chnd,  by  reafon  of  the  ei^ 
treme  badnefs  of  their  internal  arrangements,  the  fnk 
bable  increafe  of  Polifli  manufa^res,  /hould  they  be^ 
come  free,  the  contimial  efforts  of  tlw  Enrojpe^n  mami^ 
fidurers  to  draw  away  the  labourers  of  the  farmeri^ 
the  greater  prevalence  of  emigration  to  thdr  colonieh 
and  other  countries  among  the  culrivators,  than  amonk 
die  manufaclurrrt,  owing  to  the  wretched  fituation  m 
the  agricultural  poor  in  countries,  where  the  high  vahie 
of  land  renders  it  in  effedii  a  monopoly^  and  the  prefer* 
ilniVerfal  attenndn  to  political  reformation,  which  for  it 
time  interrupts  agriculture,  are  among  the  caiKes  heti 
contemplated.  ^ 

Butitis-not  unfair  to  aftc,  from  what  Iburce  are  tflAe 
maritime  countries  of  Europe  to  be  fepplied,  in  theev«rl( 
of  a  failure  of  the  crops  of  me  ot  inure  of  thiBSn,  ki  fh 
great  a  tfeg^ee  as  from  the  united  fkates?  The  ^jfae  '^ 
grain,  flotlr,' meal,  aiid  bread,  from  die  united  ftatcs  flvadjr 
exceeds  that  of  the  fame  article  from  the  kiiigmim  of 
Naples  and  its  conneded  ifland  of  Sicify,  which  navebeeh 
c^nfidered  as  the  granary  of  the  Mediterr.  nc1lf»«  Po- 
land, once  termed  the  granary  of  Europe,  is  lefs  exten« 
five  (indudins  Lithuania)  than  the  country  of  the  uni<» 
ted  ftates,  which  funiifhes  grain  for  Europe.  Its  export 
are  not  afcertained :  but  there  appear  iirong  prefunip. 
tions,  that  it  does  not  fhip  throiigh  Dantzic  andElbing, 
half  as  great  a  value  of'  grain,  and  the  articles  made  of 
grain,  as  the  united  ftates.  Britain,  Spain,  Pornigal,  PTof. 
land,  and  lately  Flanders,  are  obliged  to  import.  Buflk 
if  faid  to  have  fliipt  in   ifij,  wheat  and  rye  to  the 


-  C    94    3 

mont  of  near  i^oOe^ooo  of  bufhels,  but  imports  grain 
liquurt^^'iKl  manufadluret  ar«  growing,  and  wart  ace 
frequent  in  that  kingdom.    Shiliden  imports  very  largje 
quantities  of  rye,  and  (hips  no  grain.    That  article  u 
■uich  the  firft  among  the  miports  of  Deamarlc  and  Nor* 
way.  Pruflia  produces  much  com,  and  exports  fome  : 
but  manufawes  are  greatly  advanced  in  that  kingdom ; 
and  the  home  cooAimption  of  grain  will  probably  equal 
the  produ^on,  in  a  few  years.  In  ihort,  a  careful  and 
impartial  furvey  of  £urope,  will  confirm  the  opinkm  of  the 
committee  of  the  privy  council,  that  the  productions  of 
grain  in  that  quarter  of  the  world,  are  not,  generally  fpeak- 
ing,  more  than  equal  to  the  confumptionotits  inhabitants. 
A  moment's  recoUeition  will  remind  us,  that  even  thofe 
countries  which  do  not  commonly  import  grain,  are,  up- 
on the  oaurrence  of  fnudl  difappointmeius,  obliged  to 
leek  it  from  America,  and  other  foreign  ilates ;  that  fome 
parts  of  Europe  conltantly  import  from  us  m  large  quan* 
tides;  that  all  of  them  fteadily,  or  occaOonally,  diredUy, 
or  indirectly,   fupply  their  colonies  from  hence ;  that 
£nce  the  manufaClnres  of  Great  Britain  have  been  fo  far 
extended,  as  to  employ  fix  elevenths  of  her  people,  and 
fixe  the  extenfion  of  her  manufacture  of  grain  liqudt^ 
JO  particular,  her  dependence  for  a  portion  of  her  bread 
iqpon  fweign  nations,  is  proved  to  be  unavoidable,  by  the 
Bioft  fettira  maxims  of  her  own  political  economifts ; 
that  her  real  deficiency  is  the  irremouable  vtant  of  the  re- 
quiiite '  proportion  of  agriculturifts ;    and  finally,   that 
even  in  the  prefent  (late  of  our  population^  the  upited 
.flfttes  actually  contritnite  much  mof  e  to  the  fupply  of  the 
nationS'Of  Europe  and  their  colonies,  with  grain,  bread, 
and  riour,  than  any  two,  perhaps  any  three  countries  in 
the  world ;  and  that  their  capacity  to  enlarge  that  fup- 
ply, is  (leadily  and  rapidly  increa(ing. 

This  fobjeCt  has  been  dwelt  upon  the  longer  from  its 
bigh  importance  to  the  united  (tates,  and  to  the  general 
happinefs  of  mankind,  and  from  the  new  proofs  which 
lord  Sheffield  has  given,  of  a  particular  indifpofition,  that 
Briuin  (hould  rely  on  the  united  ftates,  even  in  the 
iioalleft  degree,  though  we  give  a  greater  fupport  to  her 


prain 

ate 
largjB 
:le  u 
Nor- 
DOie : 
,domt 
equal 
il  and 
of  the 
>ns  of 
fpeak- 
itants. 
I  tbofe 
re,  up. 
iged  to 
iatfome 
equan- 
iireaiy, 
e;  that 
•n  fo  far 
lie,  and 

liqubr^s 
ir  bread 

,  by  the 

oniifts ; 

the  re- 

of  the 
,  bread, 
tries  in 

t  fup- 

Ifrom  its 
general 
s  which 
|on,  that 
in  the 
It  to  her 


r  95  3 

Biinufe£bvenand  flilpplng  than  any  t^'o  other  fciWgn  iia« 
tiont*  It  is  feared,  that  nqning  beneficial  can  be  eKpcded 
between  the  countries^  if  the  errors  and  prejudices  of  to  pro* 
fefled  a  champion  againil  us,  have  not  a  very  cautious  hear- 
ing. It  y^tW  not  be  deemed  unreafonable  or  improper,  to  con- 
doer  in  that  light  a  writer,  who,  in  his  firit  book,  labours 
tu  /how,  that  tnc  produdion  and  commerce  of  gram  are 
bad  objeAs  of  attention  to  the  American  ftaies,  because 
(91  he  proijounces)  Europe  feldoin  wants  it ;  and  who, 
in  his  fecond  boolc,  takes  equal  pains  to  prove,  that  Ame* 
rica  cannot  raife  srain  for  the  wants  even  of  Great  Bri* 
uin  itfelf,  when  he  finds  it  eftablifhed  on  high  Britifh  au- 
thority, that  their  own  kingdom  and  thofe  of  other  nations 
in  Europe,  can  only  look  to  America  for  the  deficiency 
of  fupply,  which  rhe  increafe  of  m.inufaflures,  of  peo- 
ple, of  gntfs  and  pailurage,  of  grain  liquors,  and  thm 
uncertaii^ty  of  feafons,  in  one  or  another  of  tliem,  is 
confhntly  producing.  He  will  prove  a  bad  politician,  anil 
a  very  faiad  Britifh  patriot,  who  fball  animate  agaii^  the 
manufafhires  of   Great  Briuin^  the  body  of  Jmetlcm 
planters  and  farmers^  by  promoting  a  fevere  fyflcm, 
which  fliall  debar  them  of  a  cbence  of  making  returns 
for  an  immenfe  demand  of  Britifh  fabrics,  in   the  un- 
manufa^red  produAfons  of  their  foil  and  labour.    Bat 
independent  of  the  danger  to  Britain,  from  liftening  at 
this  time,  to  fo  profiefTea  an  anti*  American,  a  wife  na- 
tion will  not  give  too  much  atnention  to  a  writer,  whole 
ardent  fpirit  w  monopoly  leads  him  to  attempt  to  cir- 
cumvent the  fame  foreign  natbn,  in  her  purfuits  of  com- 
merce—>Gf  manufadures — and  even  of  her  gt^eat,  beft 
bufinefs,  the  tillage  of  a  varipus  and  productive  foil.    If 
the  policy  pf  England  ought  to  be  a  dereli^ion  of  fame 
parts  of  her  fyftem  of  internal  or  external  commerce  in 
favour  of  agriculture,  let  her  politicians  firmly  maintain 
the  doctrine;  America  will  approve  their  patriotifm.  But 
in  doing  this,  it  furely  is  not  necetTary  to  depreciate  the 
largeft  purchafers  of  thofe  manufadures,  on  which  the 
jBxiftence  of  more  than  half  their  people  depends.  It  ma^ 
be  well  to  refled  too  that  the  induflry  and  foil,  which 
foreigi>  corn  laws  may  tend  to  deprive  of  their  accufloii|> 


r  96  1 

c^ob^eA,  c;*n  be  applied  to  the  produ£Hon  of  hemp^llas^ 
!iifoul,  coitott,  leathery  andiron^  or  their  preparation  m 
the  foriii  of  fabrics  ,tp  fuiiiiitute  for  theirs.  It  is  happy 
for  the  united  itates,  that  whenever  they  are  injured  in 
lUie  lofs  of  a  vent  for  any  portion  of  a  particular  produc- 
ttoii,  they  can  create  a  niarlcei  fpr  it  by  checking  the  in- 
troduction of  fome  connected  foreign  commodity^  ip} 
ium  a  (uccedancuin  for  it  at  home.         '^ 


Though  It  would  not  be  difficult,  in  pqrAiing  the 
jpumination  cf  lord  Sheffield's  obl'ervations,  to  adduce 
many  more  proofs,  that  his  fads  are  often  erroneous,  and 
iiis  obiervations  frequently  unjuft ;  2nd  th^t  ,hiis  pre- 
ididdons  have  not  been  verifiied,  but  pftcn  c^n^radided 
i^  experience,  the  fubjed  will  not  be  fiquther  ppirfued.  It 
I&  coniided,  that  enough  has  been  faid,  to  induqe  an  atf 
tentiye  revilion  of  his  bool;.  This,  it  is  believj^,  will  be 
liiificient  10  lead  the  Britilh  nation  to  look  in  future  to 
iptber  fources  of  iniformatbn.  It  ni||y  be  pbferyed,  in  ex<. 
iienuation  of  his  Iord(hip's  errors,  that  thjjs  .circnmllancet 
jpf  tlie  united  Hates  are  coniiderably  altered  jlince  he 
:Vroie  :  bi|t  this  will  not  juiHfy  the  confidence  ,of  his/re- 
fli^ions,  nor  apologir^  for  the  wild  errors  of  them ;  ai^ 
it  may  not  improperly  be  again  remarked  to  thofe,  whp 
■9re  convinced  of  tliis  great  and  happy  change  in  our  ii- 
tiution,  iince  the  year  1784,  that  a  condudon  the  part  of 
ibreigners,  wHich  might  have  been  deemed  prudent  when 
our  political  horizon  was  darkly  clouded,  would  be  tm- 
wife  now,  and  might  be  dangerous  to  fome  of  their  in- 
tereils  hereafter.  Of  this  Iprd  Sheffield's  late  book  provei 
)iim  to  be  not  duly  feniible. 

The  united  ilates  have  many  features  of  natural 
ilrengtb,  and  many  advantages  Irom  their  local  polition. 
The  friends  of  oiher  forms  of  government  will  admit, 
that  they  have  exhibited  a  highly  improved  example 
pf  a  republic,  and  that  they  have  pradifed  upon  the  plan^ 
iince  it  was  fgrmed,  though  not  a  very  long  time,  with 
cxtraotdinary  fuccel's.    i  key  hav|  no  occapon  tp  tatjii^ 


Vrar  for  teiritory  ;  and  they  are  condderabk  removed 
from  the  danger  of  foreign  encerprifes  againft  them. 
;Their  produdions  are  remarkably  diverfified,  and  con- 
fequently  adapted  to  various  purpofcs  and  ufes,  and  are, 
with  a  few  exceptions,  either  deceiTaries  qf  life,  or  ar- 
ticles of  fuch  general  demand  and  confumption,  as  to  be 
jnearly  is  much  fought.    Having  been  recently  apart 
of  an  intelligent  and  enterpridng  commercial  nation,  and 
having  a  terf  extenfive  fea  com,  the  citizens  of  Ame- 
rica have  been  infendbly  led  to  furvey  all  the  regions 
of  foreign  commerce,  and  in  palling  through  molt  of 
them,   have  manifefted,  fmce  the  reformation  of  their 
political  fyftem,  every  talent  rcquiiite  for  the  honoura- 
ble and  lucrative  purfuit  of  trade.  The  redundant  (late 
of  private  wealth   in  feveral  foreign  nations,  promifes 
every  addition  to  our  adive  capital,  that  occaHon  can  re- 
quire, if  we  preferve  the  honefi  fpirit  with  which  the  re- 
forms of  the  general  and  Itate  governments  have  been 
lately  made,  and  the  wifdom  with  which  they  have  been 
adminiftered.  The  fulnefs  of  the  European  population, 
and  the  degree  in  which  every  walk,  commercial,  ma- 
nufafturing,  and  agricultural,  is  crouded  there,  afford 
reafon  to  exped;  the  Heady  increafe  of  our  people.    Civil 
and  religious  liberty,  now  fettled  on  rational  and  tried 
principles,  certify  an  exemption  from  all  real  oppreilion. 
Being  difpofed  to  promote  the  freedom  of  commerce, 
the  united  ftates  would  probably  have  made  no  regula. 
tions,  but  with  a  view  to  revenue,  had  they  not  met  in  aU 
molt  every  country,  duties  and  reltrictions  in  thoir  home 
trade,    and   charges,  prohibitions,  and    excluQons,  in 
their  colonial  trade.  But  although  ibme  nations  will  not 
permit  us  to   (hip  them   certain  of  cur  articles,  others 
withhold  from   us  certain  of  theirs,  und  others  impede, 
abfolutely    or  in   efFe6t,  the  introdudlion  of  our  own 
goods  in  our  own  bottoms,  yet  we  have  hitherto  cnn. 
tented  ourlelves  with  a  fmall   addition  to  the  rates  of 
our  tariff,  and  to  the  tonnage  on   fliips,  both  together 
not  exceeding  ^.87,000  fterling,  on  all  foreign  mthns  ta- 
ken  together.  It  will  not  be   alleged,  that  this  Turn  will 
bear  a  ferious  comparilbn  with  the  injuries  our  agricuU 

Q 


'^-^' 


t   9*    J 

ture,  manafa£lurf  I,  and  commerce  fufbin  from  (evtini  ot 
the  principal  European  powers. 

To  obtain  relief  iiy  arrangements  as  beneficial  to  fo^ 
reign  ftates  as  to  ourfelTes,  ^rill  probably  be  the  liberal 
aim  of  our  government.  It  is  confidently  expe£ted)  that 
mutual  beneftts  will  create  and  cement  a  ftrong  and  lad- 
ing friendfhip  in  the  cafe  of  thofe  naitiona  with  whicB^ 
fiKh  arrangements  (hall  .be  formed;  and  with  regard 
to  others^  tne  wifdom  of  the  legiilature,  qo  doubt>  wi^ 
bie  feduloudy  exercifed  either  temperately  to  meet  them 
ii|||pie  requifite  policy  and  firmnefs,  or  to  transfer  from 
t^l^Mnds,  to  thcle  of  more  equitable  nations,  the  uo* 
ftq^lP  jsenefits  they  receive  from  us — or  to  derive  from 
odr  owa  Ikill,  capital,  credit,  and  induftry,  the  accon- 
modation%,4nd  iuf^Ues  which  they  have  heretofore 
fiirmihe4||tt%  terms  of  great  advantage  to  themfelves^ 
but  which^ii||  besa  inadequately  fcciprecated  to^  tfa» 
united  ftatdb^ 


■In}* 


m 


:. 


«EVENTH    NVmbE 


lU 


'%■ 


mmm 


■f; 


jCpUahm^  a  table  (f  the  principal  reftri^off,  Impofiiwt 
and  prohibitions  fitfle&ned  by  the  united  flateSy  in  their 
trade  tuith  the  Briti/b  dwmnionSf  and  of  thofe  fujiainedby 
Great  Britain  in  her  trade  with  the  donunions  of  the  united 
ftates  t  al/h  fome  remarks  om  certain  prevalent  topics, 
relative  to  the  general  bujmefs  and  iniercourfe  between 
the  two  coutaries, . 

THE  intention  of  the  foregoing  examinaticm  being 
folely  the  corre^on  ofefror  in  the  (latdN^t  3i 
fads,  and  in  the  opinions  or  conclutions  deduced  from 
them,  it  will  not  be  iinprq)er  to  purfue  the  fubjed  with 
the  fame  views,  a  little  further.  An  >ldea,  that  the  by. 
lance  of  favour  or  indulgence  is  received  by  the  united 
ftates,  frequently  appears  in  the  publications,  and  is  faid 
to  prevail  in  the  nondsof  perfonsof  weight  and  influ. 
cnce  in  Great  Britain.  It  may  not  therefore  be  ufeieft 
to  fning  up  to  view  the  (Mrincipal  fads  relative  to  the 
.queftioli  of  reciprocity  (^  commercial  regulation.  An  at- 
tempt will  be  made  to  throw  this  ftatement  into  the 
form  of  a  table^as  ijC  yM  be  the  more  cle^  and  impreC- 


C    Jtoo   3 


GREAT  BRITAIN 

Prohibitt  Amirican  veflelt 
from  entering  into  the  porta  of 
feveral  paru  of  her  dominions, 
viz.  the  Weft  Indiei,  Canada, 
Nova  Scotia,  New  Brunfwic, 
Newfoundland,  Cape  Breton, 
Hudfon*s  Bay,  Honduras  Bay, 
and  her  Eaft  India  fpice  market. 

She  impofes  double  light 
money  on  American  veflels  in 
moAof  her  ports. 

She  prohibits  the  navigat- 
ing, ad  libitum^  of  American 
veflels*  by  native  or  othqr  fea- 
men. 

She  prohibits  the  employment 
of  American-built  ihtps  by  her 
0|rn  citizens,  in  many  branches 
6f  trade,  upon  any  terms. 


She  charges  a  duty  on  Ame- 
rican faiUdoth,  made  up  in  the 
united  ftates  for  Britifli  Aips. 

She  prohibits  the  importation 
of  goods  from  feveral  parts  of 
Iter  dominions  into  others,  in 
American  veflels,  upon  any 
terms. 

She  prohibits  the  importation 
^  goods  into  Great  Britain, 
by  Ameriean  veflels,  from  any 
«their  country  than  the  U.  S. 

She  prohibits  the  importa- 
tion  into  Great  Britain  from  the 
united  flates,  by  American  vef. 
Cels,  of  all  goods  not  produced 
by  the  united  ^te% 


THE  UNITED  STATES 

•  ■     ■  ■      ( 

Admit  Brilifli  vefltls  into  off 
their  ports,  fubjef^  to  a  tonnage 
duty  of  44  cents,  or  24  fterling 
pence,  more  than  American 
ivflels,  and  an  addition  of  one 
tenth  to  the  amount  of  the  im« 
poft- accruing  on  their  iear^s. 

They  do  not  Impofe  extra  light 
money  on  Britifii  veflels  in  any 
of  their  ports. 

They  admit  the  navigating  of 
Britiih  veQels  by  native  or  other 
feamen,  «</ /i^i/wn.  '  ' 


They  admit  the  employment 
of  Britifli-built  fliips  by  their 
own  citizens,  in  every  branch  of 
irade,  ypon  the  terms  of  44 
cents  extra  per  ton,  and  one 
tenth  extra  on  the  impoft  arifing 
fromtheir  Cargoes. 

They  do  not  chargi  a  duty 
on  Britiih  fail-cloth,  made  up 
in  Great  Pritain  for  American 
fliips. 

■    They  admit  the  importation 

of  goods  froni  any  part  of  their 

^  dominions  intininother,  in  Bri- 

■tifli  veflels,  en' the  terms  of  441 

cents  per  ton  extiaoh  the  veflel. 

'■'*    Tliey  admit  the  importation 

of  goods  into  the  united  ftates, 

in  Britifli:  veflels,«'%m  tvgrf 

country^K»hateverrf  <  W* 

They  do  not  prohibit  theimx 
portation  into  the  united  ftate^ 
from  Great  Britain,  by  BritiO^ 
veflels,  of  any  goods  not  pro4 
4uced  by  Great  Britaki* 


TES 

into  off 
nnnage 
fterling 
merican 
of  one 
the .  im- 
ear^s. 
•  ^. 
tra  light 
}  in  any 

gating  of 
or  odtcr 


jloyment 
by  their 
iranch  of 
•  of  44 
and  one 
ft  arifing 

a  duty 
naade  up 
American 

)ortation 
of  their 
in  Bri- 
nas  of  4^ 
he  veflell 
Mrtation 
ed  ftates, 
tm  evtrf 

the  inn* 

ted  ftatcf 

BritiO) 

not  pr94 


t    101    3 

GREAT  BRITAIN.  THE  UNITED  STATBfi, 


y 


•  She  prohibits  the  importation 
of  any  goo4a  previously  brought 
into  the  united  ftatM,  from  the 
fi^id  ftatea  into  Great  Britain, 
even  in  Britifh  \tSUk» 

She  prohibits  the  exportation 
•if  feveral  articles  from  Ofeat 
Britain  to  the  united  ftates. 

She  lays  duties  of  Tarious 
rates  upon  the  exportation  of 
many  articles  to  the  united 
ftates. 

She  prohibits  the  importation 
«f  all  manufaftures  from  the  u- 
^ited  ftates»iiito  her  Eciropean  do. 
minions,  and  her  colonies,  unlefs 
it  be  fome  very  fimjde  prepara- 
tiom  and  deco6lioas,  requi'fite 
fo  her  navy,  du||lping  and  ma- 
nufaftures.       ««» 

She  impofes  very  confider- 
able  duties  upon  fome  of  the 
agrictdtui^  produftions  of  the 
spited  ^ates,  and  excludes  others 
^y  duties  equal  to  thejr  value. 


She  prohibits  figr  confiderable 
terms  of  time,  fome  of  the  prin- 
cipal agrici^uriU  produ£iions 
of  the  united  ftates,  and  others 
at  all  times. 

It  is  underftood  that  by  trea* 
ty  (he  grants  fome  favours, 
which  are  not  extcMedvto'the 
united  ftates.      ■■* 

She  prohibits  the  importation 
of  fome  American  articles,  in 
Americin  Aips,  or  an^y  |>ttt 
l^itifti  fliips,  into  her  European 
dominions. 


They  do  not  prohibit  the  im« 
portation  of  any  goods  previ> 
oufly  brought  into  Great  Bri- 
tain, from  that  kingdom  into  the 
united  ftates,  in  either  Britifli  or 
American  bottoms. 

They  do  not  prohibit  the  ex- 
portation of  any  article  from  the 
united  ftates  to  Great  Britain. 

They  do  hot  lay  a  duty  on 
the  exportation  of  any  article 
whatever  to  Great  Britain, 

They  do  not  prohibit  tlie  im- 
portation of  any  manufacture 
whatever  from  Great  Briuin* 


% 


They  impofe  moderate  duties 
(lower  than  any  other  foreig^ 
nation  by  »,  3,  and  4  for  one) 
on  the  produce  and  manufa^ures 
of  Great  Britain,  except  in  a  very 
few  inftance8,and  exclude  fear  ce* 
ly  any  articles  by  duties  equal 
to  their  value. 

They  prohibit  none  of  the 
agricultural  produCltons  of  Great 
Britain  or  her  dominions. 


They  treat  Great  Britain  a* 
favouiably  as  ahy  iMtion  what- 
everr^  to  ihips,  imports,  and 
exports,  and  in  all  othw.  r«* 
fpe£l8.  V 

They  do  not  prohibit  the  im* 
portation  of  anyBritifti  article 
in  Britilh  veflfds  or  any  but 
American  vcffels. 


eREAT  BRITAIN.  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


8ht  does  not  pmnit  an  Amc* 
irican  citizen  to  import  goods 
into  fome  of  her  doninionst 
and  to  fell  them  there  even  in 
BrittOi  veifeis.  In  other  paru  of 
her  dominions,  (he  lays  an  cxtrft 
tax  on  hinit  or  hit  falei. 

She  impofiit  heavy  dutiea  on 
jeertain  article*  of  the  produce 
of  the  American  fi{beric««  and 
imfupportable  duties  on  othert, 
^n  foipe  parts  of  her  dominions  t 
and  in  other  parts,  (he  pr<Aihita 
their  importation. 

She  prohibits  the  confumption 
jDf  fome  American  articles,  of 
which  Ihe  permits  khe  impor* 
tation. 

She  prohibits  the  importa- 
tion of  American  articles  from 
foreign  countries  into  the  Bri- 
tiOi  dominions,  even  in  her  owo 
ihips. 


They  permit  a  Britifli  citize« 

to  import  goods  int«  all  theif 

ports,  in   any  veflTels,  and    tt 

fell  them  there  without  any  ex« 

tra  tax  qn  Um$  or  his  fales. 


They  impofe  only  five  pw^ 
cent,  on  the  produce  of  the  Bri- 
tifli fifheries  (which  duty  is 
drawn  back  on  exportation)  an4 
admit  eycry  article  derived  front 
them. 

They  do  not  prohibit  the  con** 
fumptioD  of  any  Bntifli  articif 
whatever. 

They  do  not  prohibit  the  im- 
portation of  Britiib  articles  fron^ 
foreign  countries  in  any  fliips« 


In  detailing  the  regulations  of  foreign  nations,  fo  varir 
.ous  and  complex  as  tnofe  of  Great  Biitain,  it  is  not  eafy 
jto  be  correft.  The  above  (latement,  however,  is  (incere- 
iy  believed  te  contain  the  fub^ance  of  the  exifting  Bri- 
ti(h  reftri^ons,  prohibitions  and  impofitions  upon  com- 
merce, fo  far  as  they  have  any  relation  to  the  po0ib]e  or 
^ual  intercourie  with  the  united  ftates.  Tbofe  which 
are  to  be  found  in  the  a£ls  of  congrefs,  or  which  refulc 
from  them,  are  few,  and  are  conceived  to  be  correftlygiven 
in  thtubie.  On  a  review  of  the  whole  of  theie  regula- 
lioiis,  it  will  be  perceived,  that  thofe  of  the  united  itattfi; 
are  confiderably  more  favourable  to  the  fubjeds  of  th<t 
priti(h  crown,  and  their  manufadures,  produce  and  navi- 
gation, than  thofe  of  Great  Britain  are  to  the  corre- 
Iponding  iiiterefts  of  the  citizens  of  the  united  ftates.  It 
^a$  appeared  neceflary  to  make  a  ^utement  io  detail  ami 

,1* 


*A 


£    ID3    J 

^  a  tompafatWe  contraft,  in  order  thaf  we  might  tH^ 
der  manifeft  mi  abfobttg  and  important  truth,  that  die  com^ 
inercial  impediinents  to  Great  Britain  in  the  laws  of  the 
united  dates,  are  much  lefs  coniiderable  than  thofe  in 
the  ads  of  the  Britifh  pariiarocnt  are  to  the  united  ft  a  tea. 
Had  this  ftatement  been  confined  to  the  ifland  of  Cfult 
Britain  alone,  on  the  one  part,  and  our  dominions  at 
laree,  on  the  other,  it  would  have  been  found,  that  our 
obnrudions  to  Britifli  commerce  are  far  lefs  thmi  tbofis 
which  Britain  throws  in  the  way  of  the  commerce  of 
the  united  dates.  But  it  is  fair  and  natural  for  us,  in  con^ 
fidering  a  national  fubjed,  to  take  into  our  eftimation  the 
whole  of  the  territories  of  the  Britifli  crown,  and  the 
whole  populadoB,  trade,  manufa£hires,  and  produdiont 
iftiereof,  more  efpecially  as  it  is  plain,  that  all  cenHdera* 
tions,  relative  to  the  American  fide,  are  extended  to  our 
whole  territory  and  all  its  a0)urtenanccs  and  relative  cir« 
cumltances.  Should  Great  Britain  prove,  that  exceptiont 
lefpe&ing  col(Hiies  are  as  reafonable  on  her  part,  as  they 
mre  fafluonable,  ftill  it  remains  to  be  counterbalanced,  that 
no  fuch  exceptions  are  made  by  us ;  for  we  treat  the  vef* 
jfels,  {M'oduce  and  citizens  of  the  cohnies,  as  we  treat  thofe 
of  Briuin.  If  it  is  politic  and  right  that  the  parliament 
€»f  Great  Britain  fhould  exclude  us  from  their  colonial 
trade,  then  Great  Britain  ought  not  to  c(Mnplain  of  any 
countervailing  regulations,  which  may  exclude  her  from 
fome  equivmettt  advantage  in  our  trade :  and  fo  in  reg»*d[ 
to  any  other  country,    ahould  it  be  proved,  that  all  na* 
tkms  have  intcrdided  their  colonial  trade  to  foreigners, 
it  will  be  no  lefs  eafy  to  fliow,  that  the  withholding  of 
any  kind  c^  advantage  from  a  foreigp  nation,  by  reafon 
of  the  particular  circumftances  of  the  redridmg  party, 
has  always  been  deemed  a  juilification  for  fome  corrc* 
fponding  reftri£tion  on  the  part  of  the  country  fuffering* 
£ut  it  cannot  be  proved,  that  all  nations  prohibit  the  par- 
ticipation in  their   colonial    trade  to  foreigners.    Ihc 
French,  the  Swedes,  the  Danes,  and  the  Dutch  govern 
themfelves  difterently  from  Britain  and  from  one  another* 
The  interdiding  rule  is  not  univerfal.  It  cannot  be  ren* 
dkred  permanent,  uniform,  or  precifc.  It  mud,  therefeFtf:^ 


t     104    1 

.^e  liable,  like  other  commercial  objects,  to  legiftative  iBf. 
crei'ton  and  treaty,  and  muft  be  involved  in  the  general 
queftion  of  reciprocity.  Were  this  not  the  cafe,  the 
created  political  abfurdities  would  be  induced.  Let  it  be 
Aippol'ed  for  a  moment,  that  two  £urepean  nations  pof- 
feis  f  ranfmarine  colonies  of  equal  value,  and  that  one  of 
them  grants  a  perfeft  freedom  of  the  trade  of  her  colo- 
nies to  the  united  dates,  while  the  other  abfolutely  re- 
ful'es  that  advantage  to  us.  It  will  not  be  allejged,  that 
the  laft  of  thefe  nations  has  claims  to  a  participation  in 
the  commerce  of  the  united  ftates,  equal  to  thoie  of  the 
former.  Further — the  diftin^lion  taken,  with  regard  to 
colonies  J  does  not  apply  to  all  the  tranfmarine  dominions 
of  the  BritiOi  crown.  Canada,  Nova  Scotia,  New- 
Brunfwic,  Jamaica,  and  a  pari  of  the  ifland  of  St.  Chrif- 
tophers,  for  example,  arc  conquered  countries ,  to  whofe 
.commerce,  conHderations  other  than  colonial,  apply. 
And  were  the  idea  of  colonies  ih:id% -^adhered  to  (viz. 
the  eflabliniment  of  bodies  of  natives,  who  have  emigra- 
ted from  a  (late,  and  fetded  in  a  new  country,  politically 
conneded  with  the  old  one)  it  would  be  found,  that  fe- 
vera!  of  the  new  dates  of  America  are  more  truly  colo- 
nies of  the  older  dates,  than  feveral  iflands  and  pro- 
vinces, which  bear  the  appellatbn,  are  colonies  of  Great 
Britain. 

As  it  has  been  an  uniform  opinion  of  lord  Sheffield 
and  other  perfons  in  England,  that'  fliipbuilding  would 
be  annihilated  in  the  united  dates,  the  prefent  date  of 
that  bulinefs,  it  is  hoped,  will  dedroy  fome  material  mif- 
calculations,  and  will  prove,  that  we  do  not  labour  un- 
der an  inability  to  carry  our  own  produflions  without  the 
aid  of  any  one  foreign  nation.  If  we  have  not  yet  en- 
countered the  expenfe  of  a  navy,  let  it  be  remembered, 
that  Pruflia,^  which  has  many  more  private  veflels  than 
Ruffia,  has  a^ed  the  fame  part ;  although  the  emprefs, 
with  fewer  merchant  (hips,  than  any  maritime  power  in 
£ur(^e,  and  much  fewer  than  the  united  dates,  has  ne- 
verthelefs  a  very  formidable  navy. 

Nadons,  which  at  prefent  enjoy  any  confiderable  por- 
tion of  the  American  trade,  mult  fudain  very  unfavoura- 


'  iff/. 

neral 
,  the 
it  be 
spof- 
nc  of 
colo- 
y  Tt' 
*  that 
ion  in 
of  the 
ard  to 
linions 
New- 
Chrif. 
whofc 
apply. 
0  (viz* 
smigra- 
litically 
that  fe- 
ly  colo- 
id  pro- 
f  Great 

Jheffield 
r  would 
hate  of 
rialmif- 
lour  un- 
hout  the 
yet  en- 
imbercd, 
Tcls  than 
cmprefs, 
)0"wer  in 
has  ne- 

able  por- 
nfavoura- 


C    105  1 

tie  conftquences  from  the  continuance  of  rnipedimentsor 
urdens  on  our  future  intercourfe  with  their  dominions. 
Our  exports^  being  tranfported  in  our  own  ibips  and 
ihofe  of  any  lefs  unkind  country,  may  advance  the  ma- 
nufadtures  and  trade  of  a  nation  adjacent  and  rival  to 
them— or,  fent  to  the  colonies  of  more  favourable  na- 
tions, may  greatly  increafe  interfering  colonial  produc- 
tions. It  is  with  the  urmoft  difficulty,  that  any  nation 
now  accompliflies  circuitous  furolies  of  other  European 
tountries  with  our  jproduce ;  and  it  will  become  our  duty 
to  make  foreign  nations  fenHble  of  the  difadvantages  of 
double  freights  and  charges,  under  which  they  receive 
Our  produaions,  the  lois  ariAng  from  which,  falls  in 
^art,  upon  our  farmers,  and,  in  part,  upon  their  citizens^ 
who  are  the  confumers.    Aggravating  impediments  to 
bur  trade,  are  now  deeply  and  conftantly  wounding  the 
hianufa^urers  in  Europe,  who  work  up  American  raw- 
materials,  or  who  fupply  us  with  theur  fabrics.    Duties 
on  our  iron,  for  example^  reduced  the  price,  and  thus 
pccationed  it  to  be  bought  at  home  to  manufacture :  and 
io  of  othei*  native  raw  materials.  The  refufal  of  cotton, 
and  other  raw  articles^  not  of  our  growth^  in  any  hot.* 
tbms,  from  America,  makes  them  cheaper  to  our  manu- 
facturers, or  to  the  morters  of  th6m,  for  the  ufe  cf 
thofe  Eun^an  manitfaChirers,  whofe  laws  will  permit 
them  to  be  received  from  hence.   Impediments  m  the. 
way  of  our  fliipping^  or  heavy  duties  on  merchandiicr 
^om  bMSnce,  occauon  ^e  merchants,  as  before  obferyed, 
in  regard  to  our  produce,  to  feud  foreign  raw  materials 
to  countries,  tbat  will  admit  the  vcflcls  and  {oods  upon 
more  eafy  terms.  Nations,  in  this  Enlightened  age,  will 
more  and  more  avail  themlelves  of  the  m\ftakes  that  ob-, 
tain  in  the  commercial  regulations  of  their  neighbours 
and  rivals:  anid  the  errdrs  of  reftriCtions  and  duties,  fe 
far  as  they  ihall  be  really  impolitic,  will  thus  induce  a 
certain  and  confequent  luf&ring  by  thofe  who  impofe 
then  on  us.    So,  as  one  country  drives  our  vefTels  and 
prcnduce  from  her  ports,  others  may  be  thereby  induced 
to  opeu  dieir  markets- to^  them.   The  currents  of  com- 


t    to6   3 

irtet'ctf  (ike  thoftf  of  the  rivers,  will  eertafnfy  ht  tatnet 
from  that  fide  where  obftm^ions  are  created. 

The  united  ftates  have  been  led  to  ferious  and  Betie^ 
neficial  reflexion  on  their  ai&in,  bjf  rhe  prevailing  dif- 
pofttion  to  re(hri£t  their  intercourre  with  Europe,  and 
the  feveref  regulations  of  feveral  nadoriti  in  regard  to 
the  commerce  of  their  tranfmarine  dominions.  1  tiey  are 
prompted  to  decide  that  the  immenfe  (aVinj^  and  the  ex- 
ten(ive  advantages  they  can  detive  from  manofaiftui«9^ 
protected  by  their  own  laws,  rendef  thefti  nolefs  Worthy 
4)f  a  (hare  of  their  capital  and  induftry,  than  fbreigti 
commerce.  The  importance  of  this  objeA  has  been  for- 
ced upon  the  minds  of  many,  by  European  reftriftions : 
and  a  continuance  of  fhofe  relbiAions^  will,  though*  gra^ 
dually,  yet  infallibly,  make  converts  of  the  whole  natlSm. 
•feo  weighty  are  the  <^on(iderations  relative  to  manufacw 
tures,  in  the  opinions  of  many,  thar  (r  b^eg^ns  to  be  (ili 
riouHy  queflioned,  whether  the  empl'tMltent  of  a  (hare  of 
16  or  25,000  tons  of  veffeh  in  the  Dridlh'  Weft  indi* 
trade,  and  of  lefs  than  half  that  qttanthy  Ih  the  trade  t<^ 
their  remaining  colonies,  ought  t6  liidtite  oar  confenY 
ihaterially  ra  keep  down  or  dlmini/H  iiny  ij^'Ilitary  dutiei 
on  foreign  manOU^hires.  The  Ameficail  impdft  is  no^ 
^ery  moderate,  compared  with  that  of  Other  nations  j^ 
tinquetlionably  the  moft  fo  of  any  which  BHd/h  good^ 
encounter  in  foreign  coOntries.  h  does  not  exceed,  on  "k 
itiedium,  8  or  9  per  cent. .  Were  it  to  be   inc^ealed  t« 
14,'-  lo,  2^,  28,  and  even  33^  per  cent;  as  in  Frartte^. 
Spain,  and  {^brttwal— were  prohibitions  to  be  add^d  on 
Ibme  articles,  as  m  thofe  countries,  and  on  all  articles,  a» 
in  one  or  two  others;,  (with  a  jndicioiis  pofipOnement  of 
tfie  time,  for  the  ftroibgeft  regulations  to  fake  placed 
^l^at  would  be  the  confequences,  what  the  effeas  upon 
the  rranfplanting,Of  foreign  capital  dnd  mantkfaOcireii  to  tlie 
tinited  ftates  ?  It  may  be  urged,  that  we  fliould  be  injuted 
by  fuch  prohibition,  or  even  by  the  higher  rates  of  duty 
apove  mentioned.  Sd  far  as  wp  did  not  get  manbfa^rcs 
tftabliflied  in  the  mean  time,  that  rti1j|;ht  be  the  cafe  ;  buc 
the  fame  might  be  obferved»  in  regarcl  to  the  commer^ 
cial  regulations  of  Great  Britain^  Tome  of  which  really 


..I. 


C    >97    J 

Injure  her ;  and  many  of  which  injiire  Ireland^  the  Weft 
Indies,  and  the  remaining  colonies. 

If  it  is  in  the  power  of  Great  Britain  to  draw  from 
other  countries,  the  articles  flic  obtains  from  us  of  bet- 
ter quality,  and  upon  lower  terms,  which  is  often  aflerted 
to  be  polTible,  it  is  not  to  be  forgotten,  that  by  cealin^ 
to  receive  any  goods  from  the  united  dates,  the  benrht 
of  employing  her  fliips  wil)  be  fs  far  loll.    Xhe  artiilef 
reje<Eled  may  be  fomewhat  more  difficult  for  us  to  fell,  and 
therefore  will  be  necelTarily  converted,  in  a  greater  de- 
gree than  at  prefent,  into  manufactures,  or  they  may  go 
to  fupply  other  nations,  who  now  purchafe  thole  fdreigu 
articles,    which  k  is  alleged  Britain  can  procure  with 
mure  advanuge.   Among  the  objections  Great  Britain 
ought  to  have  to  this,  the  new  foreign  connexions  we 
fliall  be  thereby  led  to  form,  and  the  cement  it  will  give 
to  old  ones^  will  not  be  fpund  the  leaft.  But  the  aflertioii 
reallv  is  not  true.  The  furs  and  (kins,  the  oak  timber, 
oak  boards,  oak  planks,  Haves,  potafh,  pearl  a(h,  ginfeng, 
the  ikme  quality  of  rice,  fome  qualities  of  tobacco,  the 
grain,  in  cafe  of  fhort  European  crops,  and  (bme  of  the 
naval  (lores  cannot  be  obtained  hi  quantity  and  qua- 
lity from  other  countries. 

We  are  not  infrequently  reminded,  when  the  Ipfs  of  the 
American  market  and  confumption  of  Britilh  inanufaCturef 
is  fpdcen  of|  that,  notwithltanding  our  former  non>im- 
portation  agreements,  and  the  interruptions  of  the  war, 
the  Britiih  manufactories  were  more  flouri/liing,  than  dur- 
ing the  previoi|s  peace,  when  our  demand  was  the  grcateft. 
There  appear  to  be  fome  reafons,  however,  for  doubt. 
hig  the  truth  of  this  aflercion.   The  tables  in  Ander- 
fon's  commerce,  already  mentioned,  itate  the  export^ 
of  the  year  1774  at  ^.17,60^,447,  and  thpfe  of  1781,  at 
^.  1 1,470,389.  This  declenlion  was  regular,  alniolt  every 
year's  exports  t)eing  lefs  than  thpfe  of   the   preceding. 
Thefe  faCts  are  the  more  remarkable,  as  the  imports  of 
Great  Britain  in  1781,  were  greatef  ^han  thole  in  1776, 
or  in  any  intermediate  year,  and  the  price;^  pf  raw  artiy 
cles  and  provifions  exported,  were  higher.    It  is  to  be 
iiil^f§rvcd,  alfo,  tha^  large  cxpons  fof  tl^e  Pfitifli  m^V* 


C    108   3 

chant*  and  dealers,  who  fold  extra  (upplies  to  their  V9 
inies  and  navjes  in  America,  the  Wetk  and  £aft  Indies, 
Gibraltar,  <^r.  were  made,  for  the  ufe  of  the  great  num- 
ber of  officers,  foidiers,  and  feamen,  employed  in  thoV^ 
iilaces.  The  extra  public  purchafes  of  cbthing,  tents, 
arms,  cordage,  fail  cloth,  porter,  and  other  mamifaSiureft 
articles,  for  their  fea  and  land  forces,  yiuft  have  been  im- 
menfe,  when  we  reHr^,  that  about  /.  14,000,000  per 
annum,  on  an  average  of  the  term  of  the  war^  was  ad- 
ded to  their  debt,  betides  the  great  fums  of  money  col- 
iefled  and  paid  within  the  year ;  and  that  the  fupplics 
granted  for  1781,  exceed  thofe  of  1774  by /.  19,^00,000, 
a  larger  fum  by  100  per  cent,  than  Great  firitam  ufually 
exported  in  manufactures  prior  to  the  late  treaty  of  peace. 
The  expenditures  of  fuch  a  war,  rouft,  indeed,  occafion 
the  woolen,  linen,  leathern  and  metal  branches,  and  fe- 
veral  others,  to  flourifh  exceedingly  i  but  the  confe- 
quences  in  regard  to  the  increafe  of  burdens  on  the  peo- 
ple, and  to  the  national  profperity,  muft  be  viewed  ifl 
the  n)oft  ferious  light.  In  the  time  of  th^  war,  too,  for- 
eign mauufa£i[ures  could  be  lefs  eafily  introduced  into  their 
own  markets,  which  left  the  demand  for  confuniption  aqd 
importation  tobe  fupplied  by  their  own  people.  It  is  to  be 
obierved  further,  that  the  eight  years  which  followed  i  yy^, 
yrere  thofe  in  which  machinery  was  firft  rendered  confide? 
fably  profitable  inGreat  Britain.  Before  theAmerican  war, 
the  cotton  branch  was  very  inconfiderable  in  that  coun- 
try ;  but  though  it  has  increafed  wonderfully  Hnce  the 
peace,  it  mufl  nave  felt  a  very  large  advancement  dur- 
ing the  term  in  which  our  regular  importations  from 
thence  were  cut  off.  Other  branches  were  aided  dur- 
ing thofe  years,  by  the  introduCHon  of  machinery,  nif- 
siual  flight,  and  new  procefTes,  fo  as  to  diminifn  the  effects 
of  the  interruption  of  the  American  demand.  It  is  in  the 
higheil  degree  probable,  that  the  lofs  of  our  confumption 
would  be  fenfibly  felt  at  this  time.  In  a  feafon  of  peace, 
the  enormous  extra  demand  for  the  ufe  of  their  armifs 
and  navy  does  not  exifl.  Ireland  now  menaces  Great 
Britain  with  the  diminution  of  her  importations.  Su(;h 
extraordinary  new  inventions  of  mechanical  aid  are  iipj[ 


t\ 


•  IP  be  expeded  agnin-^and  the  united  ftatei  might  derivf 
a  very  conHderablc  degree  of  independency  on  BritiH^ 
manufa^ures,  by  the  adoprion  of  labour-faving  niachioei^ 
^tbe  peculiar  value  of  which,  to  them,  they  are  beghi- 
nino;  to  perceive)  in  the  UKton,  6axen,  hempen,  lueul 
anopartof  the  woolen  and  filken  branches,  to  all  of  whic|i 
raw  materials  they  apply.  The  capacities  of  the  united 
ftatet  for  eftablidiuig  thefe  mills,  andmanufa£hiresin  ser 
^leral,  will  be  exemplified  in  the  cafe  of  New  Jtr&y,. 
which  by  a  return  in  1 784  is  afcertained  to  have  had  then  41 
fulling  mills,  8  furnaces,  79  forges,  366  fa w  mills,  508  grift 
millS|  and  19a  tan-yards,  though  her  population  appeii^ 
to  be  about  one  part  in  twenty-one  of  that  of  the  uuite^ 
ftatC8.Were  the  united  Netherlands  to  feize  a  moment  of 
uneaHnefs  between  us  and  Great  Britain,  and  were  they 
to  devote  their  (hipping  and  immenfe  private  capital  to 
xhe  fupply  and  promotion  of  machine  manufa^res,  they 
iwould  prove  dangerous  rivals  to  England  in  all  foreign 
markets :  and  the  fame  may  be  faid  in  regard  to  the  ef- 
forts of  pther  cgiintries,  if  they  were  fcriouflv  to  under* 
take  manufa£bires  by  labour-faving  machinery. 

It  may  be  fairly  aiked,  what  country  fupports  the  lUr 
vy  of  Great  Britain,  in  fo  ^reat  a  degree  as  the  united 
ftates,  by  the  employment  they  give  to  her  ihips  >  Thp 
Huflrun  trade  furniflies  cargoes  for  much  lefs  than 
230,000  tons,  which  istheexaA  quantity  of  Britifli  vef- 
els  that  cleared  from  thefe  ilates,  in  the  year,  follow^ 
jng  Auguft  1789.  The  whole  Baltic  tvide  of  Great  Bri- 
tain, with  all  the  countries  of  the  various  powers  that 
lie  within  the  found,  important  as  it  is  to  her,  does  no^ 
jBU  more.  Their  trade  with  Holland,  France,  Spain, 
and  Portugal,  does  not  all  together  employ  as  many  vef* 
fels.  Their  ^ple  fifliepes,  American  colonial  trade,  and 
Weft  India  trade,  do  not  employ  and  load  more.  And 
how^  itji^y  be  further  aiked,  are  the  united  ftates  re- 
quited/or  thus  ftrengthening  the  acknowledged  bulwark 
of  Great  Britain,  by  annually  giving  a  complete  lading  tip 
the  unequalled  quantity  of  230,000  tons  of  her  private 
y^flf  Is  i  T^e  whole  of  the  American  veilf  Isj^  which  have  ar: 


'# 


*<•       '^ 


[    no   J 


rived  in  our  port?,  in  the  fame  year,  from  i^ll  the  counjrief 
«nd  phces  fubjefl  to  the  Britifh  crown,  amount  to  m* 
toore  than  43,580.  tons.  Yet  there  are  not  wanting 
fietfons,  who  will  affirm,  that  the  balance  of  favour  1$ 
igiven  to  the  united  ftates :  and,  that  Great  Britain  is  fo 
far  injured  by  our  deportment,  a«  to  juftify  a  retalia. 
:tion  upon  us  ! 

There  are  fome  confiderations  drawn  from  the  ftate 
of  things  in  Europe,  which  ought  to  render  the  Sritifh 
commerce  with  the  united  ftates  and  the  confumption  of 
Britifh  manufactures  by  the  citizens  of  thi$  country,  mat- 
ters of  greater  than  former  importance,  The  infufion 
of  republican  qualities  into  the  governments  of  that 
jquartcr  of  the  world,  will  be  followed  by  the  extenfion  ** 
of  trade,  internal  and  external.  The  chara^er  of  the 
merchant  and  manufacturer  will  be  duly  elteenied,  and 
large  portions  of  dormant  capital,  and  numerous  claf. 
lies  of  inadive  men,  will  be  turned  by  circumitances  to 
employments,  which  will  have  lolt  their  ancient  ima- 
ginary difrepute.  The  tendency  of  fuch  events,  in  re- 
gard to  the  Cupply  of  raw  materials,  ami  in  regard  tQ 
manufactures  which  America  now  draws  from  Great  Bri< 
tain,  will  not  be  difficult  to  difcover. 

A  reliance  is  ibmetimes  placed  upon  the  difpodtion  of 
the  fouthern  parts  of  the  united  itates  of  America,  in  fa- 
vour of  fuch  regulations  of  commerce,-  as  would  be  a- 
greeable  to  Great  Britain — that  is,  the  eafy  and  unin- 
'cumbered  admiilion  of  her  fliips  and  manufactures  into 
our  ports.  Whatever  truth  there  may  be  in  regard  to 
fome  of  thofe  Itates,  it  is  known  they  aire  far  from  unani- 
mous, on  that  fubjeCt.  It  may  l)e  queltioned,  too,  whether 
meafares,  which  would  create  difputes,  and  interrupt 
the  Britith  trade  with  America,  would  not  be  difagreea- 
ble  and  inconvenient  to  the  merchants  and  manufac- 
turers of  Great  Britain,  as  was  manifeilly  the  cafe  on  the 
occafion  of  the  late  ditference  with  Kuflia.  Ports  circum- 
ibnced  as  Liverpool  and  Lancafler,  which  have  large 
.concerns  in  Ihips  and  comparatively  little  other  trade  but 
"ps  carriers  and  Ihipholders,  may  be  difpofed  to  promote 
l^ny  jueafures^  that  will  advance  navigation^ .  at  (hp  fv 


« 


t  "»  1 


iBP^ 


f^d;  0t  general  commerce^  manufactures,  and  apyitk 
fOirt ;  but  the  great  capitalifts  s^nd  merchants  ot  Lon«( 
don.  Briftol^  and  Glafgow,  6r.  and  the  manufa^rera 
tot  Mahchefter,  Sheffield,  Birmingham,  Norwich,  Yorlfri 
ihire,  6c,  will  view  with  due  ferlQufheis,  the  probabint^ 
jof  diverting  our  trade  into  other  channels,  and  the  dei^ 
liberate  and  decided  roeafures  to  promote  American  ma* 
nufaChires,  which  the  reftraints  upon  our  navigation  and 
commerce  may  hereafter  produce.  The  ebje£iions  of  tboiqr 
|>arts  of  the  fomhern  ftates,  which  may  be  averfe  to  fur- 
ther impofitions  on  foreign  merchandife,  will  be  moderatetJ 
by  tbeir  convictions,  that  American  manufadlurers  ma^ 
be  brought  to  confume  and  work  up  tlieiir  produAions  at 
home,  and  to  furnifli  them  in  return  by  not  very  flow 
degrees,  with  the  fupplies  they  npw  derive  from  sbroad| 
At  the  time  wl^en  this  examination  was  commenced|| 
^was  believedj   from  many  fympitoms,    that  the  truer 
^te'  of  things,  j^n  this  country  was  little  known  or  unj; 
derftood  in  Crireat  Britain.    Thfi  p^rc^udices  aatun^ 
arifing fromi  To  warm  a  eonteft  as  thai  ^  ^775*  tbedilj* 
orders  which  gr'ew  Out  of  a  lax  and  ill  qige^tea  gpyern^ 
ment,  and   the  errors  incidental   to  an   inexperiente^ 
country,  fuddenly  alevated  from  a  colony  to  an  empire^^^— 
all  contributed  to  deceive  and  miflead  Great  Britain,  in 
her  eftijnation  of   the  united  ilates.     Ihe  volume  of 
lord  Sheffield  was  foppofed   to  increafe  the  public  mif* 
conceptions.     His  work  upon  the  Iriih  commerce  in  1 785, 
reprefeiited  the  American  ftates  in  the  fame  unfavoura* 
ble  manner  in  feveral  paflagcs.     Symptoms  of  error  in 
the  opinions  of  other  perfons  of  reljxttable  (landing  in 
the  Britilh  comniuiiity,    were,    unfortunately,    obicrva». 
ble.     It  appeared,  therefore,  to  be  a  matter  of  great  im« 
portance  to  both  nations,  that  an  attempt  iiiould  be  mads 
to  point  out  paltand  to  correct  exiiting  mittakes.  While  it 
has  been  detired  in  doing  this,  to  excite  no  painful  fenfations 
hi  the  minds  of  thole  who  are  connected  with  the  inter- 
elts  of  Great  Britain,  it  has  not   been   deemed  necellary 
or  tit   to  luiipreis  any  truths,  becaufe  they  might  prove 
«n.iice[ -table  to  perfons  if  any  fuch  there  be,  who  may 
Want  magnanimity  enou^li  to  receive  them  with  modera-v 


'«^ 


^^^• 


lion,  dnd  to  examine  them  with  candour.  The  faMsa<f. 
duced  oil  this  occaHon,  are  certainly  not  the  aiore  true^ 
becaufe  they  have  been  allerted  in  this  publication^  noi* 
fviil  it  be  denied,  that  coming  from  an  American  prefs, 
^ey  (hould  be  examined,  on  the  other  fide  carefully 
iind  thoroughly.  It  was  fmcefrely  treated  in  the  beginning 
^s  genuine  policy  in  nations^  to  avoid  (hort  lived  decepti- 
ons, and  rather  to  fearch  diligently  for  the  ground  of 
common  intereft,  which  can  never  be  afcertained  by  mif- 
reptefentation,  or  by  erroneous  or  difmgenuous  Invefti- 
ga^ion.  If  arrangements  beneficial  to  the  two  countries 
can  t^  efTeAed,  it  muft  be  through  means  very  difierenc 
fromthofe.  The  minds  of  well  intentioned  and  able  men 
ph  both  fides  fliouldbe  difpailionately  applied  to  the  necef- 
£uy  enquiries  and  difcuflions ;  the  fubjed  (hould  be  tho- 
tpughly  examined  and  underitood,  and  frank  admiflions 
ipF'  the  advantages  derived  by  either  nadon  from  tho 
6ther,  ought  to  he  made.  With  the  lights,  which  might 
be  thus  obtained,  it  would  not  be  difl^tdt  to  determine 
whether  the  na>^re  of  tlunes  in  the  united  dates  and 
Great  Britain,  re^es  or  admits  of  a  treaty  of  friend, 
jliip  and  commerce* 


■*!•■ 


.♦ 


•■*'*--  .• 


r 


\ 


t 


1 

lUPJLEWENf  AR^     JN0T4 


toticerfiiH^  the  pragrtfs  ani  prepitftatHofJmerkan^Q^ 
ipitf&c,  or  houfehold  mam^aiStwres* 

IN  the  paiRtge  of  the  obrervatlous,  which  fornix  the 
head  of  paper  No.  3,  to  which  this  note  belongs^  dia 
writer  predids,  that  we  ihall  give  a  preference  to  Britifli 
manufadures ;  that  we  fliail  not  nianufaifture  for  oiir- 
1^1  ves ;  and  that  our  demand  for  Britiih  goods  wiU  in- 
creafe,  in  proportion  to  our  population.  The  f»^,  in 
bppofttion  to  thefi:  ideas^  whidi  relate  to  the  fupplies 
drawn  frooi  foreign  nations,  liave  already  been 
Aated ;  as  have  molt  of  thofe  which  regard  American 
manufactures,  produced  by  thofe  who  purfue  them  as  a 
Jef  orate  dccupation  or  calling.  But  Lord  Sheffield  does  not 
appear  to  have  forefeen  the  prefent  Hate  of  cur  family  or 
^b^/'o/^mannfa^res* 

The  proerefs  and  prefent  ftate  of  this  invaluable 
branch  of  the  national  induftryi  exceeds  every  idea,  ic 
is  believed,  that  has  been  formed  of  it,  either  in  this 
country  or  in  Europe.  In  all  theftates  inhabited  almoft  eii- 


w 


W    ' 


':t 


i 


*■« 


£    iM  3 


* 


iittiy  by  white  peopjdy  domeftic  manufa^hires  are  knowil 
to  be  very  con(idcrab!e,  yielding  a  confiderable  furplut 
for  the  ufeof  the  othef  parts  of  the  union.  But  itisge^r 
nerally  fuppofed,  that  in  the  ftates  where  the  black  peo« 
pie  are  numerous  (and  efpecially  near  their  fea  coads, 
-where  imported  goods  can  ht  conftantly  and  eafily  ob- 
tained) little  or  no  manufa^ures  are  made.  Hie  follow- 
ing abitradt  from  a  minute  ftaterttent  of  the  houfehold 
fiianufadures,  in  one  neighbourhood,  of  twenty  families 
(rich  and  poor)  indifinriminately  taken,  and  in  a  part  of 
Virginia,  on  a  navigable  river  emptying  into  the  Atlantic 
«ceany  where  the  whites  are,  to  the  blacks,  as  one  to  two, 
will  (how  than  much  more  is  probably  made,  than  is  ge^ 
nerally  believed  to  be  the  cafe. 

Male  and  female  houfe  keeperf,  >  • 

Total  number  of  white  and  black  pcrfons,  « 

Fine  table  linen,  fheeting,  fliirting,  &c.  yardt, 

Vegfo  clothing,  blanketing  &c.  yards. 

Value  of  fine  cloth,  &c.  fcr  yard,        -  * 

Value  of  coarfe  do.         per  do.  «  « 

Pifiirs  of  fine  ftockings,  • 

Pair*  of  coarfe   do. 

Higheft  value  itfade  in  one  family^        *  • 

Xoweft    do,  *  *  .  - 

Total  value  of  the  manufaAuretof  the  ao  familici, 

Tamilies  which  did  not  manufaAure, 

Term,  -  -  .  -  the  year  1790, 

The  following  table,  obtained  in  the  like  indifcrimi- 
nate  and  impartial  way,  has  alfo  been  exhibited  from 
another  county  of  the  fame  ftate|  the  fituation  of  which 
is  interior.- 

Families,  rich  and  poor,  *  -  • 

Yards  of  linen,  -  *  *  - 

Yards  of  woolen,  -  •  * 

Yards  of  cotton,  -  •  -  • 

Pairs  of  ftockings,  -"  -  * 

pairs  of  fhoes  made  on  the  eftatet,  <  * 

Total  value,  .  -  -  dolls. 

Term,  -  -  .  the  year 

A  pcrfon  of  reputation,  who  furnifhed  the  latter  ftate- 
aient,  accompanied  it  with  an  allurance^  that  it  might 


*9 

301 

i,90f 

1,007 

cents    Iro 

4» 

»5» 

loS 
*67 

.«! 

l,67o|j 

I 


dolls. 


a# 

1,095. 

344 

»74 

•37 

«79» 

J  790 


fe 


"''  ■*# 


knowil 
furplut 
it  is  ge* 
ck  peo* 

ifily  ob- 
foUow- 
mfehold 
families 
part  of 
Atlantic 
>  to  two, 
an  is  ge' 

f 

3<>» 
s,90f 

1,007 

;cnti    40 

4» 

15» 

loY 

«*7 

j,67o| 

1 
'ear  1790. 


»11«. 


% 


ndifcrimi- 
ted  from 
of  which 

i>09S 

344 

s>6Ss 

»74 

•37 

179» 
j;f90 

ttcr  (ta'tc- 
it  iniglit 


lilt, 
rear 


r  V.5  ! 

fw  confidered  as  a  fair  average  of  thefamify  manufa^ures 
throughoac  the  adjacent  counties. 
.  Thefe  papers  have  been  obtained  under  circumftances 
that  juilify  a  reliance  on  their  truth,  and  are  believed  to  be 
very  little  variant  from  the  medium  of  the  (late  of  Vir« 
ginia.  Though  they  cannot  be  made  the  bafis  of  a  fatif. 
Kit^ory   eiHniate,  the   following  brief  one  is  hazarded 
merely  to  fhow  the'refult.  In  Virginia  (exdufively  of  Ken- 
tucky) 70,815  families  appear  on  the  late  cenfus.  The 
loweft  of  the  above  returns   (1,670!  dollars)  is  at  the 
rate  of  83I  dollars  to  each  family  for  hoine«made  hojiery 
und  chths  of  wool,  flax,  hemp  and  cotton  only.    Twci 
thirds  of  this  rate  upon  the  whole  number  of  families 
(cutting  off  a  third,  to  make  a  moderate  caculation,  and 
Omitting  odd  numbers)    give   the  prodigious  i'um    of 
3,900,000  dollars   for  thofe  articles  of  mere  domejiio 
manufacture  (exclufively  of  the  work  of  regular  tanners, 
(hoemakers,  blackfmiths,  weavers  and  other  tradefmen^ 
in  Virginia,  and  taking  the  united  dates  at  3,900,000 
perfons,  would  appear  to  juftify  a  computation  of  above 
90,000,000  dollars  for  the  whole.  ' 

Through  fimilar  means,  but  on  the  examination  of 
.other  peribnsin  the  counties  of  Accomack  and  Northamp- 
ton, lying  on  the  bay  of  Chefapeak  and  the  Adantic  ocean^ 
it  appears,  that  3 15,000  yards  of  flaxen  cloth  are  made  in  a 
diftrift  containing  2,729  families  :  alfo  45,000  yards  of 
woolen,  30,000  yards  of  cotton,  and  45,000  yards  of  linen 
gnd  woolen  cloth,  and   a  quantity  of  coarfe   (lockings 
nearily  equal  to  the  demand.    It   is  added,  that  all  the 
(hoes,  and  three  fourths  of  the  clothing  of  that  coun- 
ty, are  made  by  the  tradefmen,  or  within  thefamilies, 
who  refide  in  it.  The  raw  materials,  including  the  cotton, 
9re   the  growth  of  their  farins. 

Another  communication  through  the  fame  channel^ 
Aates  the  manufadliures  pf  iron  to  exceed  all  others  in 
Virginia  (which  muft  be  erroneous,  if  houfehold  maniir 
fadtures,  as  well  as  trades,  be  taken  into  die  calculation) 
^nd  that  the  greater  part  of  the  farmers  and  planters  tap 
.  yhe  hides  of  the  cattle  they  confume. 

Two  pthcr  communications  froi?i   the  J^mc  ftaie  iq^ 
form,  that  thcfamllks  in  certain  vicinities  mentioned  ii| 


w 


'■!'* 


I      1I<      1 


^heiBy  make  ont  medium  near  200  yards  each  of  coircif  • 
vroolen,  and  linen  goods — and  that  five-dxths  of  thy 
flioes,  cloth,  and  (lodcings,  which  are  ufed  in  that  coun- 
try, are  made  in  the  houfehold  way.  Thefe  two  hijk 
ftatements  contemplate  four  counties. 

Similar  information  from  the  interior  parts  ef  Southr 
Carolina  (tho*  lefs  firong  andextenfive)  has  alfo  been  ob- 
tained, accompanied  with  a  variety  of  fpecimens  of  fubftan« 
tial  midling  and  coarfe  cotton,  woolen,  and  linen  ^oods,  of 
which  it  is  ftated,  that  the  inhabitants  of  that  country  ma- 
Aufadhire,  entirely  in  the  family  way,  as  much  as  they  have 
occation  for,  "  cotton,  flax,  and  hemp,  being  plentiful^ 
and  there  bemg  a  condderable  ftock  of  eood  (heep ;" 
<'  that  there  is  a  great  deal  done  in  the  houfehold  way,'.' 
und  **  that  the  greateft  exertions  are  made ;"  **  that 
they  have  been  long  in  the  habit  of  doing  fometh.ing  in 
family  manufa£hires,  but  have  improved  much  in  the  laft 
two  years ;  and  that  the  weaving  is  done  by  the  females,^ 
^hich  leaves  the  induihry  of  the  males  to  be  applied  td 
tgriculiure. 

It  is  well  eftabliflied,  that  fmiilar  habits  previut  m  the 
Interior  country  of  Geor^;  and  in  the  midland  and 
Veftem  counties  of  North  Carolina,  they  are  as  attenw 
tive  to  domeftic  manufactures  as  the  people  of  Virginia. 

Such  istheftate  of  domeffic  or  household  manufaSures 
in  the  fouthem  ftates,  where  abundance  of  very  fertile  and 
cheap  lands,  and  a  large  portion  of  black  population,  are 
<appofed,  in  Europe,  and  even  in  our  own  country,  to  have 
prevented  any  confiderable  attention  to  that  frugal  and 
indufbrious  purfait. 

'  Let  us  now  turn  to  the  northern  fcenes,  where  a  more 
feplete  population,  and  a  lefs  produdive  foil  have  led  to 
the  profecution  of  many  branches  of  manufadhires  as  re« 
•'gular  trades. 

The  refult  of  a  careful  enquiry,  in  every  county  of  th^ 
ftate  of  Connedicut,  has  been  uniform  information  from 
twenty  four  vicinities;  that  dome/tic  manufadhires  are  car- 
i*ied  to  a  very  great  extent.  The  articJ-  s,  jTjade  in  the 
ifamily  way,  and  by  perfons  engaged  ordinarily  in  the  cuT- 
tivation  of  the  earth,  are  woolen  and  linen  cloths,  includr 


^1? 


of  th( 

t  coun- 
fto  la0 

Soutlv 
een  ob- 
fubftan- 
DodS)  of 
try  ma- 
ey  hav« 
lentifu)| 
Iheep  ;** 
1  way,? 

«  that 
thing  in 
1  thelaft 
emaks/? 
>plied  to 

ait  ra  the 
land  and 
attenw 
Virginia, 
afaaures 
nrtileand 
tion,  are 
,  to  have 
ugal  and 

•eamor? 
Ve  led  to 

res  as  re- 

ity  of  th^ 
ion  from 
s  arc  car- 
de  in  th^ 
\i  the  cuT- 
indudr 


I    it;    1 

Jdg  fnl-cloth }  bed-ticks,  fome  cotfdh  goods^  hbd^ry,  JOafli^ 
aknd  fpikes,    ibme  filk  buttons,   haiidkerchiefs,  riband)^ 
andftuffs,  iewingfdk,  threads,  fringe,  and  pot  and  pearf 
aflies.     It  is  obferved,  that  there  is  fcarcely  a  family  iil 
the  (late  of  Connecticut,  fo  rich  or  fb  poor,    as  nof  afiu'ifi. 
6ufly  to  attend  to  domeftic  inanufa^lures  ;  that  they  are 
extending  and  improving  very  faft  in  quantity,  variety, 
and  quality  ;-^and  that  confiderable  parcels  of  houfehd^ 
Imens,   6^.    are    carried   out  by  land  and     exported 
by  water  to  the  middle  and  fouthern  dates.   Here  then  is 
^furplus  of  houfehold  manofa^hjres  fold  otd  af  the /fate. 
It  is  an  acknowledged  fadt^  that  New  England  linens havt 
fliffefted  the  price   and  importation  of  that  article  frdni 
New  York  toGeo«^ia.     The  foregoing  ftatement  is  not 
Intended  to  comprehend  the  manufa^ories  of   woolen 
tk>ths,  hats,  cotton  goods,  fail->cloth,  checked  and  plaitu 
Iktens,  flioes  and  boots,  bell  metal,  buttons,    wool  and 
cotton  cards,  flaitfeedoil,  foap,  candles,  nails,  anchor^^ 
axes,  fpddes,  ftiovels,  cabinet  work,  carriages,  faddlei, 
books,  ^c.  6e.  conduced  as  rcgolar  and  feparate  trades 
hf  individbali^,  compftnies,  and  aflbciatbns,  whhich  are 
,very  conliderable. 

An  cn^trfry  has  aWb  been  madie,  by  a  perfon  of  judg- 
ment, in  the  ftate  of  Maflachufetts,  who  alleges,  that  the 
inlpiortatk>ns  of  foreign  manttfa^ures  into  that  ftate,  are 
lefe  by  one  half,  at  this  time,  than  they  were  twen^ 
years  ago,  though  there  has  been  a  prodigious  itTcreafe 
of  population,  and  though  confiderable  quantities  of 
^ome-made  articles,  are  tranfpof ted  by  land  and  water, 
^0  other  parts.  This  is  afcribed,  in  a  very  great  dejrre*, 
to  the  domeftic  manufednres,  which  are  obfcrvabfe  in 
the  dreflfes  and  furniture  of  the  people,  and  in  the  out- 
Ward  cargoes  of  the  coaftirtg  and  other  trading  veflcis. 
The  informant  here  contemplated,  produced  documents" 
;to  Ihow  the  magnitude  of  fome  of  the  regular  trades, 
among  which  were  io,ooo  dozen  pair  of  cotton  and 
wool  cards,  much  the  greater  part  of  which  arc  applied 
to  domeftic  manufactures  throughout  the  united  ftates. 
2,400  pieces  of  fail  cloth  per  annum,  at  a  fngle  fadoryj 
100  tons  of  nails  per  annwn;  at  tjic  Taunton  fadorjr 


C   ii«  3 

iloMf  and  150,000  pair  of  (lufFand  filk  (hoes .in  the  Hn* 
gle  town  of  Lynn,  of  which  10,355  pair  had  been  fhipt 
By  one  famiJy  to  the  Philadelphia  market  in  a  fingle  year, 
although  the  nianufa^urers  of  that  city,  in  the  fame  line, 
are  very  expert  and  numerous. 

Another  infonnanthas  furnifhed  a  return,  from  which 
it  appears,  that  in  the  laft  year  thread  and  filk  laces,  and 
edgings,  black  and  white,  amounting  to  41,979  yards, 
were  mantifa^ured  in  the  family  way,  and  not  in  regu* 
lar  factories,  in  the  town  of  Jpfwich  in  MaflTachufetts, 
which  contains,  by  the  late  cenl'us,  4,562  men,  women, 
and  children.  Pattern  cards,  containing;  thirty-dx  fpeci- 
niens  of  thefe  hitherto  unnoticed  manutadures,  have  been 
exhibited.  This  town[hip  comprehending  a  fmall  feaport, 
and  conlequently  being  open  co  foreign  goods,  and  the 
freight  of  focompad:  an  article  as  lace,  being  very  fmall, 
it  will  be  confidered  as  a  curious  fad,  that  this  manufac- 
ture ihould  have  grown  up  there  to  fo  great  a  height.  It 
is  added  in  the  information,  that  laces  are  made  in  varU 
Dus  parts  of  MaOachufetts,  though  no  where  in  fo  great 
^  degree.  It  is  alfo  underllood  to  be  a  domeftic  roanu> 
failure  in  feveral  parts  of  Connedicut. 

The  exiilence  and  continual  increafe  of  domeftic  ma- 
nufadures,  in  Rhode  Ifland,  and  New  Hampfhire,  are 
eftabliihed  on  (imilar  authority  : — and  the  growth  of  re^ 
gular  trades  is  very  great  in  the  former,  in  proportiop 
,to  its  population.  It  is  fuppofed  to  have  fucceeded  as 
well  as  any  fcene,  in  its  attempts  in  the  cotton  branch, 
by  labour-faving  machines.  The  following  parcels  qf 
goods  were  mauufadured,  in  thefamify  way,  in  the  firfl: 
^ine  months  of  179 1,  in  the  town  of  Providence,  though 
it  is  a  feaport,  and  has  a  number  of  regular  fliops  and  fac- 
^ries,  for  making  feveral  of  the  fame  fpecies  of  goods* 

Linen  cloth,  -  •  25,265  yards. 

Cotton  do.  m  f,      ,  5)^5^  do. 

Woolen  do.  -  p  3>i^5  do. 

(Carpeting,  -  f         -  512  do. 

$tockings,        .  -  .  4^093  pairs. 

Gloves  and  mitts>  -         --  859  do. 

Ffhige,        -        -        -  aOp  yard| 


t    ««9    3 

Three  millions  of  nails  (by  tale)  and  30,000  yards  Ot 
woolen  cloth  were  made,  in  1790,  in  the  town  and  vid* 
nity  of  Providence.  The  induftry  of  Farmers  and  houie« 
wives  contributed  materially  to  the  manufacture  of  tfaef* 
articles. 

The  extent  of  the  woolen  branch  of  domeflic  mano- 
failures,  in  New  Hamplhirc,  is  evinced  by  the  great 
number  of  its  fulling  mills ;  for  they  have  no  conliderable 
faftory  employed  on  that  raw  material.    The  fame  may 
be  obferved  in  regard  to  the  general  knowledge  of  the 
art  of  weaving,  among  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the 
farmers  in  that  (late.  1'his  fa£t  is  very  frequently  obfer- 
vable  throughout  New  England,-  and  fome  other  parts 
of  the  united  dates.    The  number  of  fulling  mills  in 
New  Jerfey,  which  have  already  been  ftated  to  be  forty- 
one^  is  a  proof  of  their  domeitic  manufactures;  as  they 
have  not  any   factories.    In  the  vicinity  of  the  town 
of  Reading,    in    Pennfylvania,  are  ten   fulline   mills, 
which  induces  tlie  fame  concluTion  there  ;  and  mey  are 
very  numerous  throughout  the  (tate.    The  export  of 
fia>ueed  is  equal  to  that  of  former  times ;  the  manufac- 
ture  of  oil  confumes  a  far  greater  quantity  than  hereto- 
fore :  wherefore  a  large  growth  of  flax  is  to  be  infer- 
red ;  and  as  we  have  very  few  linen  fadtories,  and  the 
exportation  of  flax  has  ceafed,  a  great  domeftid  manufac- 
ture of  linens  mult  exift.    The  i'ale  of  fpinning>wheel 
irons,,  in  one /hop  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  in  thecourfe 
of  the  lait  year,  has  amounted  to  1,500  fets,   which, 
though  a  fmall  fa6t,    is  Itrongly  indicative  of  the  ex- 
tent of  domeflic  manufactures,  as  fpinning   wheels  are 
rarely,  if  ever,  exported,  or  ufed  in  regular  factories. 
The  quantity  fold  is  29  per  cent,  greater  than  in  any  for- 
mer year.  Nail-making  is  frequently  a  houfehold  bufmels 
in  New  England,  a  finall  anvil  being  found  no  inconre- 
fiience  in  the  corner  of  a  farmer's  chimney.    Bad  wea- 
ther, hours  of  difengagenient  from  the  occupations  of 
the  farm,  and  evenings,  are  thus  rendered    i'eafons  of 
ftcady  and  profitable  induftry.    Public  eftimaies  of  the 
grain  and  fruit  diltilieries  of  the  united  Hates,  have 
|eqn  made  at  3;5oO;Ooo  j^allons  -,  much  the  greater  part 


■m 


I     I20     3 

#f  which  is  &ude  by  farmers  and  plameri.  The  \mp6f'' 
tatioa  of  cheefe  from  all  countries  into  the  united  itates, 
was  only  forty  (ons,  in  the  year  ending  in  Auguft  17190  : 
•nd  we  exported  a  much  larger  qji^ntity  iu  the  {am# 
term,  from  which  a  great  manufadure  of  that  ar^clc  {in 
the  domeftic  way,  of  courfe)  is  to  be  inferred.  In  fliorr, 
domeftic  manufa<^gres  are  great^  various^  and  almoft  «m- 
vcr/al  in  this  country. 

The  implements  hitherto  u&d  in  houfchold  manufac- 
tures, have  been  of  the  mod  ancient  kinds.  The  art  of 
dying  has  been  advanced  in  fanulies  little  further  than 
what  was  communicated  by  a  recipe  as  brief  as  thofe  in 
a  book  of  culinary  inftru^ions ;  the  colouring  in^edi- 
ents  have  generally  ^been  fuch  as  nature  banded  to 
the  thrifty  houfewife.  The  operations,  from  tlue  raw 
to  the  manufactured  (late,  have  often  been  the  (iropleft 
^at  can  be  conceived.  Under  circumftances  like 
diefe,  it  will  not  be  too  fanguine  to  exped  that 
the  diiTemination  of  ufeful  inlbrudtion  in  the  prac- 
tice of  dying,  in  the  nature  of  colours,  and  concerning 
other  parts  of  the  buHnefs,  the  introduction  of  the  new 
improvements  in  the  {n«paring  and  fpinning  machinery, 
on  a  (bale  as  convenient  as  the  i^mmon  weaving  ai:qpara- 
tus,  aud  the  general  ufe  of  the  fiyingihuttle,  and  the  dcHi- 
ble  loom,  may  give  a  twofold  value  to  this  moft  precious 
branch  of  the  national  indudry.  It  will  not  be  deemed 
one  of  the  leaft  favourable  circumftances  in  the  afiairs  of 
a  country  fo  eminently  capacitated  for  agriculture  as  the 
united  Itates,  that  the  profperous  courfeof  that  great  em- 
ployment of  their  citizens,  is  accompanied  with  an  afli- 
daous  profecution  of  this  economical  domeilic  occupation, 
by  perions  of  all  ages  and  fexes,  in  hours  and  feafons, 
wliicli  cannot  be  employed  in  agricultiural  labour  or  in 
their  ordinary  family  duties* 


*#■ 


# 


kfyt)tTtOUAL   NOTD, 


On  maaiufaihBrtt  hi  generals 


THE  fidlowiog  repKfenudon  of  tlie  minufadurea 
at  prdent  exi(tiog  in  the  united  ftates,  will  tend  to 
exhibit  the  ground  or  reliance  which  they  afford  at 
this  time;  and  prefents  the  moft  encouraging  alTurances 
qf  their  dead/  progrefa  to  permanent  eftabliOinient. 

I. 

Tmmed  and  tavted  leather ,  dreffedjklns,  viith  ondviHhotd 
the  hair  or  fur,  and  numfaShwes  thereof,  form  one  Qi 
the  beft  eftabliflied  and  moft  important  branches.  The 
confump^n  and  esqportation  of  the  following  articles^ 
made  whoHy,  or  in  part  of  leather  or  flcins,  are  sreat, 
and,  in  (everal  inftances,  general,  and  the  importation  of 
them,  excepting  the  articles  of  gloves  and  fur  trimmings, 
is  very  inconfiderable.  Rigging  hides,  parchment,  ihoes, 
boots,  and  flippers,  common  harnefs  of  all  kinds,  bar- 
nefs  and  leathern  materials  for  pleafurable  carriages,  fad* 
dies  and  bridles,  houfings,  holiters,  faddlebags,  portman* 
teaus,  boot  ftraps,  leathern  and  hair  trunlu,  fire-buckets, 
military  articles,  fuch  as  flings,  belts,  cartouch  boxes  and 
fcabbards;  leathern  breeches  and  fome  vefts  and  draw* 

R 


,w4>'; 


*^ffl' 


\^ 


E   Ml  5 

ers ;  men's  and  youth's,  and  fome  women's  gloirei,  Ibf 
inu<fs  and  tippets,  linings  and  trimmings  of  fur,  for  w«» 
men's  and  men's  apparel,  feme  chair  bottoms,  the  coaN 
ings  ot  wool  and  cotton  cards,  and  the  leathern  materU 
als  of  other  manufaAuring  implentents  and  atenfils ;  to 
wMch  may  be  added  glue,  being  an  economical  manufadure 
from  the  other  wife  ufeleft  prts  of  raw  aad  dMMd&ins, 
aud  from  old  lealfaem  articles^ 

Manufa^htres  fhm  hethp  and  flax  form  another  very 
important  and  well  eftablilhed  branch.  Thefe  are  made  a* 
well  in  regular  faflories  and  workfhops,  as  in  the  houfe- 
hold  way.  Cables,  cordage,  tarred  and  untarred  \  feinct 
and  nets  of  vanoua  kin£,  twine  and  jpack-thread,  fail 
cloth,  tow  doth,  white  and  checked  fliirtings,  fheetings^ 
toweling,  table  linen,  bed  ticks,  hofiipry,  fewing  thready 
and  i'ome  thread  lace,  are  the  articles  manufadured  of 
fhefe  raiw  materials.  Nearly  the  wh^le  of  the  hemp  and 
flax  are  now  of  native  growth  ;  and  as  they  are  prodtsc^ 
nons  of  every  ikate,  the  fabrics  made  of  them  are  peJ 
culiarly  interefting.  This  circumftance  gives  breadth  and 
foUdity  xsy  the  foundation  of  the  Unen  branchy  and  to  all 
ethers  to  which  it  is  common* 

III/ 

MamfaShres  of  hrm  form  a  very  increafing  and  ofefol* 
bran(;h.  Under  this  head,  the  article  of  nails  defervea 
{particular  notice,  being  brought  to  the  feotineof  a  do- 
Aieftic  manufadure  in  ieveral  of  the  flates.  The  other 
fabrics,  made  of  this  raw  material,  are  Oeel,  flieet  iron, 
nail  rods,*  wheel  tire,  hoops,  weights,  ftoves,  pots  and 
other  caftings,  fcale  beams,  plough  irons,  hoes  and  other 
farmirijj  utenfils,  the  iron  aiidfteel  work  for  pleafurable 
and  working  carriages,  and  for  (hip  building,  anchors^ 
Houlehold  utenfils  ot  various  kinds,  fci  cw-preiTes,  fome 
faws,  and  planes,  axes  and  other  utenfils  for  artizans  and 
Mfinufaflurers,  and  arms  of  various  kinds.  It  is  reaibnablo 
to  conclude  that  the  manufacture  of  military  articlca 


I,  tor 

r  w«« 
coat-i 
laterU 
ill;  m 
fadure 
iikins. 


r  vttf 

nade  at 
houfe- 
;  feincf 
ad,  fail 
eetingSy 
thread, 
ured  of 
imp  aiui 
prcxiuc*- 
are  pe^ 
dth  and 
d  to  all 


id  ofeffd* 
leferves 
>f  a  do- 
other 
^et  iron, 
)t8  and 
id  other 
afurable 
anchors^ 
IS,  fome 
ins  and 
ifonablt 
articles 


t      121     1 

become  InconfiderabTe  during  the  exifting  petce.  TIm 
abundance  of  mill  feati,  ore  and  fuel  in  the  united  ftatcs, 
a  moft  extenfive  demand,  and  the  heavy  charges  of  imporr 
tation,  are  amonc  the  drcumftances  which  have  given  a 
ii^dkable  ellabliQunent  ro  the  i^on  maniifadories. 

IV. 

Manufa^uret  of  woti  mi  mixtures  thereof  with  coitcn 
0HdfiaXt  form  another  branch  of  peculiar  importance,  from 
their  being  princqially  the  produ£bions  of  dcMncftic  induTo 
try,  at  times  and  feafons  which  can  be  fpared  from  other 
occupations.  Tbefe  are  broad  and  narrow  cloths,  chiefly 
<comroon  or  coarCe ;  coatings,  cafimerstfergrs^flaoncts,  ho- 
(kry,  fome  blankea,  linfey  wodfey,  and  negro  cloth  inve. 
ry  lar^  quantities,  coverlets  and  counterpanes,  men's  and 
k>oy8'  hats,  a  few  carpets,  fringie,  cord,  and  tailels.  This 
raw  material  will  eventually  prove  univerfa!  u)  tbf 
united  ftates,  and  b  already  found  in  every  ftate, 


mm 


The  foiir  preceding  branches  may  be  thrown  into  the 
firft  clafs,  m  regard  to  pre&nt  importance,  and  are  eflar 
blifhed  in  a  conJtAerabk  degree.  They  are  increafing  ra. 
pidly,  and  particularly  the  three  firft,  from  the  facility 
of  procuring  very  large  quantities  c^*  the  requifiie  raw 
materials,  the  introduAiort  of  various  new  implements 
and  machinery,  the  abundance  of  fuel,  lime,  baric,  and 
other  articles  employed  in  their  manufadure.  The  lat- 
ter is  fleadily  progreflive  in  quantity,  and  has  improved 
rapidly  within  the  lall  two  yeairs. 

.  v; 

MamfaSiurei  of  cotton,  r.nd  mixtures  thereof  with  ftaj( 
itmd  hemp,  as  alfo  -with  vtool,  conftitute  a  growing  and  ve- 
ry  promiftng  branch.  In  feveral  of  the  dates,  factories 
of  this  raw  material  have  been  commenced.  Very  con- 
(iderable  quantities  of  goods  are  made  of  it,  in  the 
^Q^fet^old  way,  and  particularly  in  the  fouthern /t^s. 


5  »f-. 


'    ,'. 


0f  all  of  which  it  is  a  produdipn.  The  articles  ufuaBjr 
made  art  corduroys^  velverets,  jeans,  fiiftians  and  plaiti 
and  ftriped  cloths,  for  women's  ufe,  hofiery,  thread, 
fringe,  cord  andtaflels,  counterpanes  and  coverlets,  can* 
dle-wick,  and,  when  mixed  with  wool,  very  large  qnap* 
tities  of  neero  clothing.  Connected  with  this  branch 
is  the  bufinefe  of  callico  printuig,  in  which  fome  promifr 
ing  attempts  have  been  made. 

VI. 

Ships  4md  boat  J,  with  their  numerous  and  requiHte  ap« 
purtenances,  conftitute  a  branch  much  lefs  valuable  m 
money  than  the  preceding ;  but  confideringhow  neceflary^ 
they  are  to  agriculture  and  manufadhires,  as  well  as  to 
(bommeree  and  the  filheries,  they  appear  to  be  of  primi|<« 
ry  importance.  Thefe  are  conftru^led  upon  the  moil  fi^« 
vourable  terms,  and  with  great  perfection. 

VII. 

Paper  §/  all  iimls,  forms  a  very  beneficial  branch,  of 
eonfiderable  and  increadng  extent.  The  fpedes  made 
are  paper  hangings,  playing  cards,  pafte-boards,  fullers 
or  prefs  papers,  meathing  and  wrapping  paper,  writing 
^nd  printing  paper  of  various  kinds  and  qualities,  except 
the  largefl  and  moft  coftly ;  appurtenant  to  this  branch  is 
the  very  increafing  and  highly  ufeful  butinefs  of  boo^ 
printing.  From  the  abundance  of  mill  feats,  and  the  re- 
fpedtable  eftablifhment  of  the  paper  manufaiftory  in  fom^ 
pf  the  ftates,  it  is  manifeft,  that  a  much  more  conddera? 
ble  faving  or  gain  niight  be  derived  to  the  copntry,  with 
the  requiute  attention  to  the  prefervation  of  the  old  anj 
other  wife  ufelefs  materials. 

VIII. 


Sugars  refined  in  various  degrees,  form  a  branch  fo  pern 
fedtly  e(labh(hed  as  to  require  little  attention,  but  to  th^ 
^cquifition  of  the  raw  material. 


ufuaUjr 
d  pUii) 
thread, 
S)  can* 
eqnap* 
branch 
pronufv 


ifite  ap< 
uable  m 
icceffaiy 
ell  as  to 
f  prims^-^ 
mpft  h" 


[onch,  of 
|es  made 
I,  fullers 

writing 
except 

ranch  is 

the  re- 
in fom^ 
infidera- 
.,  with 
old  and 


fo  per-j 
It  to  th<^ 


'  PC' ;   . 

Cabmet  vttrer  and  turnery,  both  of  the  fimpleft  and 
moft  elegant  lunds,  are  made  in  quantities  commenjurate 
itrith  the  demand,  as  well  of  native  as  foreign  materials. 
ConneAed  with  thefe  infome  degree,  is  the  manufa^hire 
of  many  kinds  c^mufical  inlfaruments,  which  has  gained  » 
footing  within  a  few  years,  that  promifes  aneftabTifhment 
adequate  to  the  occalions  of  the  united  ftates.  Other 
manufaAures  of  wood  are  made  in  great  quantities,  fuch 
as  coopers'  wares,  com  fans,  and  other  implements  of 
hufbandry,  almoft  every  fpecies  of  mill  work,  and  lately 
the  moft  valuable  and  curious  mannfafhiring  machinery  ia 
various  branches. 

Wares  of  the  precious  metals ,  (gold  and  filver)  indud* 
ing  fet  work,  and  jewellery,  are  made  in  great  variet/ 
ana  extent.  The  latefl;  addition  to  this  branch  is  the 
manufadluring  of  plated  ware,  which,  however,  is  not  yet 
coofiderable  or  eftabliihed, 

MamtfaSiures  of  the  mixed  metals  and  of  lead  and  cop" 
per,  haveobtained  various  degrees  of  eftablifliment.  Thofe 
of  hrafs  are  the  mod  extenfive,  and,  combined  with  iron 
And  wood,  there  b  a  conliderable  variety.  Houfehold 
Utenfils,  technical  and  philofophical  inftruments  and 
materials,  furniture  and  materials  for  houfes  and  carriages, 
and  for  the  building  and  furnifliing  of  (hips,  a  few  barrels 
and  fome  furniture  of  fire  arms,  are  manufa^hired  of 
brafs.  Pewter  and  hard  metal  are  very  much  confined 
to  family  utenfils,  diftillers  worms,  printing  types,  and 
buttons.  The  laft  article  is  made  with  great  neatnefs 
and  variety  in  a  few  (liops.  Lead  is  vironced  into  ball, 
Hieets,  and  every  form  requilite  for  the  building  and  fi- 
nifhing  of  houfes  and  vefTels,  and  for  the  linings  and  co-^ 
yerings  of  wood,  which  is  expofed  to  water.  Succefsfbl 
;)ttemptsto  manufa^ure  leaden  fhot  of  various  fizes,  have 
^eqo^ade, 


S 


)( 


t    m6  I 

Copper  wares  of  variout  kinds,  are  made  in  th^  united 
ftates.  Thefeare  utenfiTs  for  diftillers,  fugar  refiners^ 
.brewers,  and  other  man^faQurers,  and  for  domeilic  and 
(hip  ufe,  anides  to  he  applied  in  the  building  of  veflTels. 
^d  in  fhort,  all  ihofe  things  which  are  requiiue  to  uftfoi 
dnd  ordinary  purpofes. 

Tin  wares^  for  all  vfdPul  pimpof^s^  wft  wiell  mamifac* 
tiired. 

MamfaShtres  frmi  fndts,  grain,  ,and  feeds^  are  very 
tonfiderable.  Of  thenril,  diuitted  fpirits  are  the  whole, 
Oi  fitnilar  li<}uors  from  apples,  the  quantity  is  large ;  of 
'^ofe  from  peaches,  it  is  much  lefs,  but|he  quality,  whea 
jkhe  liquor  is  matui  sd,  is  estquifite :  both  are  increafnig. 
Of  the  manufadures  from  grain  and  feeds  (exclufive  of 
iQealof  all  kinds  and  bifcuit)  there  is  a  greater  va* 
Iqe.  Thefe  are  diftilled  fpirits, 'malt,  malt  liquids,  (larch^ 
juir  powder,  wafers,  and  oil.  Thefe  articles  could  hft 
inade  in  quantities  commenfurate  with  the  deoi^nd ;  a|a4 
i^  ieveral  branches  are  well  underftpod* 

The  mmmfaihre  ^  gunpfwder,  has  atdvanced  with  thf 
ffireateft  rapidity  to  the  point  of  defire  in  regard  both  t4 
,f|uantity  and  quality.  The  hazards  and  expenfes  of  im? 
I^ortation,  the  cheapnefs  of  charcoal,  of  the  requifite 
pack^s,  and  of  mill  feats  and  ntill  work,  in  the  unitecl 
fiates,  are  among  the  principal  caufes^  which  liaye  |^ror 
^uced  fo  ac9elerate4  a  prpgrefs. 

Mamfaihtre^  ofglafsi  if  earthen  vm'e,  gndtfftm,  nnx» 
edimih  clay,  are  all  in  an  infant  ftate.  From  the  quantity 
fnd  variety  of  the  materials,  which  muft  have  been  de- 
pdited  b^  nature  in  fo  extendve  a  region  as  the  united 
Itates,  from  the  abundance  of  fuel  which  they  contain, 
from  the  expenfe  of  importation,  and  lofs  by  fradure^ 
^hidi  falls  on  glafs  and  earthen  warps^  froni  die  fipipli* 


% 


#■ 


f. 


aniteij 
finersi 
tic  ana 
vcflels. 

.'  *> 
aaufac* 


re  very 

>  whole, 
rge;  of 
y,  when 
:reafing. 
ilofive  of 
jter   va. 
B,  ftarcky 
could  b^ 
ad  J  ap4 


with  the 
both  t4 

es  of  init 
recjuifite 

le  unite4 
layc  pro* 


quantity 

been  de- 

Ibe  united 

contain, 

fradurci 


t  ttj  3 

dty  of  many  of  thefe  manufa^lures,  and  from  the  ^jfttajk 
confumption  of  them,  impreifions  of  furprife  atthisitate 
of  them,  and  a  firm  perfualion  that  they  will  receive  the 
early  attention  of  foreign  or  American  capltalilU,  are  at 
OQce  produced.  Coarfe  tiles,  and  brick$,  of  an  excellent 
quHity,  potters'  wares,  all  in  quantities  beyond  the 
home  confumption,  a  few  ordinary  veifiris  and  utenfib 
of  (tone  mixed  with  clay,  fome  muftard  and  fnulT  bot« 
ties,  a  few  flaflu  or  flaggons,  a  Imall  quantity  of  flieet 
glafs  and  of  vellels  for  mnily  ufe,  generally  of  the  iiifiB« 
f ior  kindS;  are  all  that  are  now  made*  .     ^ 

XV. 

d/Umfaihres  firwti  the  fat  and  hones  tffea  and  Umd  akk 
tnals,  fonn  a  daiV  of  conGderable  importance.  Thefe  are 
tiie  feveral  kinds'd^  oil,  foap,  fpermaceti  and  tallow  caxt* 
dies,  articles  made  of  whalebone,  fal  ammoniac,  and  vo« 
latilefalt. 


mm 


^tm 


IN  addition  to  the  above  branches  or  dafles,  thdhe 
are  manufa^hired,  (be(ides  the  quantities  requifite  foe  the 
home  demand)  a  confiderable  value  for  exportation,  of  the 
following  mifcellaneous  articles— potaihes  and  pearlaAies^ 
chewing  and  fmoking  tobacco  and  fnnif,  cheefe,  working 
and  pleafurable  carriages,  Windfor  and  varnKhed  chairs, 
oil  of  turpendne  and  rofm,  wool  and  cotton  cards,  and 
other  implements  and  utenfils  for  manufaduring :  mid  a 
large  value  for  home  confumption  of  fur  hats,  bruihes 
for  domeibc  and  technical  purpofes,  whips  and  canes^ 
manufa^res  of  horn,  mill  ftones  and  hewn  ftoml 
lampblack,  ochres  and  other  painters'  colours,  fome  gale^ 
nical  and  chemical  preparations,  clocks  and  watchei, 
wearing  apparel,  and  a  few  manufadhires  of  filk. 


'% 


% 


-T'iS 


m 


■# 


fschedu 
the 
oft\ 


DI 


»i 


A, 


N. 


uw^'- 


t  Paper  A.^ 

Schedule  of  the  whch  number  of  perjons  within  the  fiveral  diJIrmsOt 
the  untied  pates,  according  to  an  aa  <^  providing:  for  the  enumeration, 


.  of  ihe  inhabitants  of  the  united  JIates;*  pajfed  March  the  jfi,  1790. 


II    i 


r^-^ 


PI»TRICTS. 


MN 


pi; 


*  Vermont, 
N.  Hampihire, 

C  Maine, 

2  Mai^chnfetts, 
Rhode-Ifland, 
ConnetfUcut, 
New- York, 

Penn^lvania, 

Delaware, 

Maryland, 
<  Virginia, 
^  Kentucky, 

North-Carolina 

f  S.  Carolina, 

Georgia, 


S.  W.  territory, 
N.W.  territory,:}: 


SI 

-Si 

i 


22,435 
36,086 
24,384 

95,453 
i6,oif 

60,52^ 

83,7CX) 

45,251 
110,788 

11,783 

55,915 

110,936 

I5,»54 
69,988 


15,103 


22,328 

34,851 
24,748 
87,289 

15,799 
54,40? 
78,122 
41,416 
106,948 

12,143 

51,359 

116,135 

17,057 
77,506 


40,505 
70,160 
46,870 
190,5821 
32,652' 

"7,44^ 
152,320 

83,287 
206,363 

22,384 
101,395 
215,046 

28,922 
140,710 


S/aves.   Total, 


14,044 


25,739 


85,539 
Mi,i8i 

96,540  7 
378,7875 

68,825 
237,946 
MO,  1 20 
184,139. 

434,373. 
59,»94 
5I9,73& 
747,610  > 

73,6775 
393>75i 


82,548 


J. 


I 


35,691 


Truly  ftatcd  from  the  ori<pnal  returns  depofited  in  the  office  of 
thefecretaryof  ftatc.  TH :  JEFFERSON. 

OAober  24,  1791. 

*  This  return  was  not  figned  by  the  marflial,  but  was  indofed  and 
referred  to  in  a  letter  wntten  tind  figned  by  him. 

f  Note  by  the  editor.  The  population  of  South  Carolina,  is  conjec- 
tured to  be  near  1 50,000  whites  and  near  100,000  blacks. 

X  Note  by  the  fame.  The  population  of  the  north  weftem  govern* 
ment  is  fuppofed  to  be  a  few  thoufands,  cxclufii^^^the  military. 


■t-i: 


.#.  J 


c 


if.^ 


jPiKRB/J 


«|R, 


Trcafury  department, 
Feb. x^,  1791, 


/ 


D  0  imfelf  thi  honour  to  tranfmtt  thnugh  you  to  th9 
houfe  oj  repreJentativeSf  a  general  return  of  the  exports 
of  the  united  ftiUeSf  abftraCled  from  cujtom  houfe  re* 
turns f  commencing  on  the  various  days  in  Agufiy  1 780,  where* 
en  they  were  refpeCiively  opened ^  and  ending  on  tifi'tjuth  of 
September  laft.  From  inadvertence  in  fame  of  thofe  offices^ 
thefpace  of  time  prior  to  the  ift  of  0£lober  1 789,  was  bleti' 
de'd  with  the  quarter  folloiuingf  which  prevented  an  unifortm 
commencement  of  this  abftraU  on  that  day  ;  and  there  is  yet  a 
deficiency  of  many  of  the  returns  for  the  laft  quarter  of  tho^ 
year  l^<fOf  which  confines  the  abftra&  to  the  ^oth  of  Septem-r 
her  /aft.  The  progrefs  which  was  made  in  this  fyrpt  of  ftate* 
^nent  ^  the  exports ,  ppior  to  the  order  of  the  houfe,  and  th9 
impojfibility  of  having  it  completed  in  the  form  direaed  by  them^  ' 
before  the  fourth  of  March  next,  have  occafioned  me  t^  offer 
p  iaits  frffiur  jXiape. 

J  have  the  honour  to  he. 

With  the  greateft  refteS^fir, 

Tour  moft  obt,  and  mojt  humible  firvt,    , 
ALE3^ANpER  HAMILTON, 

Secretary  of  the  treafuryy 
Vhe  h«norabIe  thi  speaker 
of  the  houfe  of  reprefentar 
tives  of  the  united  ftateSf 

'^/l^raS  of  the  exports  of  the  united  ft  atet,  from  the  eomt 
mencement  of  the  cujtom  houfe s  in  thefeveralftates,  which 
mtas  at  different  times  in  Atguft,  17^,  to  the  30M  4^  of  , 
September,  179a 


«i^  -jf* 


ASHES,  pot, 
Alhes,  pearl, 
Apples, 
Boats, 


SXPORfEP^ 

Quantity,  Value, 

7;05o^  tons,  dolls.  661,634 

i*548ilr!r  do.  I77,459«  50 

5,898        barrels,  6,318 

8  372 


G^rriedjver       84^,783.50 


«k-- 


'■  m- 


t    >3«    3 


Bombflielli,  .  lo 

Bricks,  8.70,550 

Beer  and  porter^  47* 

Bnuidy,  97 

Cordials,  336 

Cordage;  ' 

Carnageg,  220 

Candles,  tallow,  149,680 

Candles, -\irat,  5,274 

Candles,  snynle^  249 

Cider,  «  441 

Cottort,  2,027 

Coffee,  a54»75» 

Choic:o1{U:e>  39,884 

Cocoa,  10,6^3 
Cafla  and  cinnmnon>  9,39^ 
Pcerfldns, 

Duck,  American,     »  77 

I)uck,Ruifia,  320 
Earthen  and  glaHi  maxp, 

£111^6  (prtice,  115 

Fkdi^ieed,  40,019 

Wto,  31,970 
Furs, 
Fumitnre 
Finery. 

'Filh,  dried,  378,721 

Fjfli,  pickled>  36,804 

on,  wMIe,  15,765 

Oil,  fpermaceti,         5,431 

Cimdles,  do.  70,397 

^Whalebone,  121,28.1 

Grain,                -  " 

'  r  Buclj^ivheat,  7, 563 

Com,  f,i02,ii[7 

1  Oats,  98,843 

r  Ry«»  21,765 

.Wheat,  t,l  24,458 

Ginleng,  8)3 

^nttpowMr,  ,  5,860 

g&t,^  >8>o25 

jSitoflBlttttciu  #03 


Brought  over 
tons, 

caiksy 

do. 

boxes. 


Dbs. 

do. 

do.    , 

barreb^ 

balesj 

lbs. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

bc^tjf, 
do. 

boxej?, 

caiks, 

lbs. 


quintals, 

Wrels,- 

do. 

do; 

lbs. 

do. 

buihcls, 
do.     t ' 
do. 
do* 
do. 
caiks, 
lbs. 
galls. 


845,733.  5^ 
100 

3,617.    JO 

4,613 
3,oid 
637^  * 

■    5,739 

54,876 
3,461 

"     S% 

58,408 

45,753 

3>537 

950 

9»7i5 

53,P<=^ 

777 

3,200 

>,999 
606 

336,072    . 

1,468 

*0,515 

8,351 

828,531 

"3,if*; 

124,908 
79,542 
27,724 
20,417 

«f|;   3,572 
|,o83,58< 

30,900 

13,1*81 

1,398,998 

47,oM 

861 

16,989 

450 


Carried  over        5»i5o>948 


m 


.£%' 


i^< 


5« 


An 


,9gp 

>998 

86i 

)i948 


t    «33   1 

Brought  over 


hSS5 

200 

Jr,4o6 

237 
to,o$8 


tons. 


tdus, 
do. 


HnSrij^^iSer,  iJ;5^4       ib«. 

Hacs,  663 

Hay,  i,u6 

Honui, 

Ironmoiigeiy^ 

Iron,  gg. 

Iron,  bar, 

Indigo, . 

Liifti  flock* 
'Homdd  cattle, 

Hbries, 

Mules, 

SWp, 

HojES,  , 

.Pomtry,  "3.^04       do2« 

Lumber, 
'Staves  &  head-3^6,4013,301 

Shingles,  67,33i,iiJ 

Shook  hogflieaas,     S2,^t 

Hoopsj  1,908,31 6 

Boiids,  46,747,730 

Hsmdlpiket,  2,36k 

ICaiks,  2,423 

Scantlmg,  ^77i9>638 

Lumber  difft.  kindit 

(^  Umber  do. 

Leather,  22/^98 

Logijv^ood,  204 

Lignum  vitse,  176 

Lead  and  ibot,  4 

Mahogany, 
Medicmes  and  drngs, 
Merchandlise, 


do2. 

feet. 

feet, 

do. 

lbs. 

ton^, 

do. 

do. 


4«% 

I2,8ji 


Mekfles, 
Muflcets, 
Nankeens, 
PU,  linfeed, 

^;Provifions» 
iTlovir. 
2  Bread, 


I5>f37 
koo 

724,62^ 
75,667 

9$>>973 


farricd 


gallons, 

bales 
barreU 


t 


9'9>9% 

^7,<i39 
t4>48» 

y»63i2ii> 

*i2o,iylr 
3«>ooi 
J9»>i^ 

«6o,21| 


95,36^ 

ia8,5:oi 
139,328 

5,3oi 

?,9»i 
1,76b 

Bid 

18,53^ 
.  1,73^ 
28,156 

500 

2,31'f 
1,96a 


4,59*,2^ 


«iiii 


■A-    -^, 


C    »J4  1 


; 


'Peas  and  beatitf,  38>75a 

Beef  44,66  a 

Pork,  34,46a 
Hams  and  bacon,  25^,SS5 

Butter,  8,379 

Cheefp,  144*734 

Potatoes,  5^318 

Tongues,  641 
Onions,  vegetables,  - 

Hogs  lard,  6,355 

Honey,  165 
J^Oyftert,  pkkled|       272 

Pvnento,  71 S 

Pepper,  j6,ioo 

Paper^  169 

Paint,  4*650 

Pitch,  8,875 

RawhldeS|  230 

Hawfilk,  177 

Rofin,  316 

Rice,  100,845 

Rum,  American,  370*331 

Xum,  Weft  Indiji,  I3,62| 

Raiiins,  213 

Salt,  31,935 

Sago^  .  2,319 

Soap,  597 

Snuff,  15,359 
Seeds  and  roots. 
Shoes  and  boots, 
Sadlery, 
Starch, 

Sugar,  loaf,  16,429 

Sunr,  brown*  33*358 

Sal&fras,  49^504 

Steel,  163 

Stones  fawed|  1 70 

T'allow,  200,020 
TobaccOk 


Brought  over 


buih. 
barrels, 

t. 

firkins, 
}hs, 

barrels^ 
do. 

firkins, 
do. 

bags 

lbs. 

reams, 

lbs. 

barrels, 

\\»» 

barrels, 

tierces, 

calls. 

do. 

cafks, 

^xes, 
lbs. 


5^863       'psaxif 


lbs. 

do. 
do. 
bundles^ 

lbs. 


118,460     ^hhds. 
2,^72        chefts. 


doH«, 

"»743»475 
25,746 

a79»55l 
308,099 

i«,728 

4^,587 
8,830 
6,000 

1,598 
33,936 

3ii475 

'     999 

272 

4,928 

;,440 

9^3 
17,488. 
485 
.489 
^78 

T,753,79^ 

^35,403 

5,795 

1,305 

8,236 

3*967 
5,609 

3,135 

5,74X 
5,541 
1,135 
3,432 

Ifc        22,37 

^         5S5 

550 

20,723 

4,349>567 
121,503 


farried  over        19,852,87 


-*. 


i,.,V 


978 

[,582 
1^ 


%• 

tns 

''     dolli. 

Broti 

ight  over 

19,853,874 
136,116^ 

'far, 

8^,067 

barreli. 

Turpendnej 

38,326 

do. 

73,541 

Do,  fpiritii 

193 

do. 

1,03a. 

Tow  clotb> 

67 

pieces^ 

•12 

Vinegar, 

34 

caflcs. 

IVinM, 

1,074 

KT' 

83,249 

yrtu, 

•3I1X58 

57,597 

To  the  lunth-veft  coaft  of  America, 
'jlkmoimt  of  feveral  returns  received  \ 
fince  the  t5tli  Febmaiy  1 791. 3 


30,194,794 

I0,30A 

•10,810.84. 


Tom/,    *2o,4l  5,966.84 

m 

^  Qnarterlj  retnms  from  feveral  finall  diftrias,  ara 
deficient. 
Afumtnary  of  the  value  and  deftination  of  the  experts  oft6§) 

united  flat eSf  agreeably  to  the  foregoing  abftraCl, 
TO  the  dominions  of  France.    —       —     4,698,735*48 
To  the  dominions  of  Great  Britain,    —      9,303.416,47 
To  the  dominions  of  Spain,  -^  3,005,907.16 

Ta  die  dominions  of  Portugal,         —         t,383,46c. 
To  the  dominions  of  the  nmt.netherlands,  1,963,880.  9 
To  the  dominions  of  Denmark,  —         334,415.5% 

To  the  dominions  of  Swedeni  —  47,340 

To  Flanders,  —  —  14,398 

To  Germany,  —  —  487,787.1% 

To  the  Mediterranean,  —  •—         41,398 

To  the  African  iflands  and  coaft  of  Africa        1 39,984 
To  the  Eaft-Indies,  —  —  I35,i8i 

To  the  north-weft  coaft  of  America,  10,362 


t 


Dollars,    30,415,966.84 


IN  addition  to  the  fbregpine,  a  confidenible  niunber 
pf  packages  have  been  exported  from  the  united  ftates, 
the  value  of  which,  being  omitted  in  the  returns  from  the 
cuftom-houles,  could  not  be  introduced  into  this  abftra^ 

Zreafury  department,  Feb.  jSthf  ly^i, 

TENCH  COXE,a04mt/hri(4rr? 


t 


:-'% 


r. 


Both  iMtely  prinUi  h  M^HEW  CjiRET, 

tlie  POWAY  TRANSLATION  of  the  Viilzate  Biblei' 
in  clemv  quarto.  Price,  neatly  bound,  sL  51.— elf^ 
l^ly  Qound  and  gilt,  sU  10s.  aa.  ^  .  .  'f' 


BLAQL's  SERMONS,  complete,  in  two  voflumM,  lamd^ 
PricCi  two  Do0ars^ 


lif]CCKEB.*»  TREATISE  on  the  Importance  of  Rdj^ 
glous  OpinionB.  Piice>  four  fifdjii  of  a  liotiar. 


nUiit  CONSTITUTIONS  of  the  feyeral  United  States, 
^th  the  FEDERAL  CONSTITUTION.  Pricff,  %# 
eighths  of  a  Dollar. 


rfMik, 


HISTORY  of  Charlcf)  Grvidifon,  abridged 


t   SaidC/fRErw/UnuiJi/hhafiwD^fit, 

^*>C  BEAUTIES  OF  POETRY,  BritUh  and  Atoeri«l|i, 
qpiitahung  feme  <»f  the  inoft  admired  pieces  in  ^ 
""     '"      Language. 


ffe  has  alfo  in  the  Prfft,  and  will  puhlijh  iSmfev)  JVteh, 
BEATTIE's  ELEMENTS  OF  MORAL  SCIENCE. 


.f 


[Wtm^MfK 


fii,  who  have  been  diiappointed  in  their 

>r  complete  Sets  of  the  /imertcan  Mufctim^ 

t^^at  the  PuMifher  is  now  engaged  in  rc- 

!a|ii$ficient  numbers,  and  will  in  future  have 

«f  Cbts.  Price,  neatly  bound  in  nino 

P#lars  and  two  fifths. 


•>;*^ 


1^ 


,.•*> 


• 


their 


'T    :,^^^'^^ 


